The Legend of Zelda:Damnation of the Twili
by Kirbilius Clausius
Summary: Prequel to "Summit of Peace", Or how the most genteel war is more horrible than the most ruthless politics. After "Ocarina of Time" Nabooru is faced with some of the most devastating choices, and Zelda is the one whose duty is to stop her.
1. Index

This index is for the purpose of understanding this story. It is not the sum total of my (or anyone's) view on the world of the Legend of Zelda games. Even characters within this story will probably disagree with certain 'factual' points and many of the semantic overtones. To gain all the nuances, one should buy and play at least the Legend of Zelda games Minish Cap, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Soul Caliber 2, Twilight Princess and Wind Waker. Other Zelda games may help.

Species Index

Deku-

The Deku are an anarchal society, not even possessing a family structure of government. These plant beings range from traders to violent hermits. They live wherever a mixture of sunlight, water and dirt can suit their comfort.

Fae-

Known primarily as fairies. These beings are becoming increasingly less magical as time progresses. Once, they seemed nearly divine and existed as mostly winged energy balls. Eventually, they take on corpreal forms more and more of the time. They don't really have an economy, and are only sought out for the healing effects of a biological byproduct-fairy dust. They have queens (all of them being female) but these queens aren't rulers, merely fae that are powerful enough to exert their will on an environment (usually a spring surrounded by rock, subterranean if possible) or the people within it.

Goron-

No one exactly knows how Goron reproduce. They populate Death Mountain, a country which is run by a council of elders. Goron children learn a trade under instruction from a Goron adult (referred to as 'father'). Anyone of adult status and in good standing can be considered a Death Mountain citizen (culturally known as 'bruddah'). This good standing typically means a Goron that has proven himself capable at a job, but in circumstance can refer to people whose unique adventures have earned the respect of the Goron-such as Mayor Bo of Ordon provice of Hyrule. If (usually when) a Goron rises in wisdom and personal strength, they will eventually be on the council of elders and their personal trade becomes governance, although currently Darunia (a stark traditionalist) is the only elder. Darunia is a staunch advocate of the goddesses and maintaining 'their' Fire Temple. Nearly every moment not spent on their trade is spent engaged in the four sole Goron past times-dancing, and music being the most prevalent while soaking in hot springs and the sport of sumo wrestling are rapidly gaining popularity. The primary occupations are mining and smithing, and selling the products thereof.

Human-

Humans are unique in that they have multiple ethnicities, probably due to their presence in multiple environments.

Hylians consider themselves human despite obvious elfin features such as pointed ears, universally fair skin, low body density, predisposition to magic and preternatural dexterity. Hylians primarily reside in the Kingdom of Hyrule, which in Ocarina of Time is a fuedal manor consisting of the castle, the surrounding urban center and untamed land with spurts of domestication. The Kingdom of Hyrule is governed by a hereditary monarchy and has been for the known past, even before the times of King Gustaf. Hylians tend to show religious deference the Three Goddesses Naryu, Farore and Din and maintain the Temple of Time (Served by Sage Rauru unbeknownst to the general population) as best they can. Also, there are many legends that tell of a hero wearing a green tunic and cap who bears the Triforce of Courage arising from circumstance. The Hylian economy is a mix of unregulated capitalism and direct decree from the throne. Hylians practice just about every occupation especially the arts and agriculture.

Sheikah are also human but stockier, stronger and weightier. In ancient times, they lived in secret amongst and behind the Hylians-usually in mountain regions. Now, their population is in such decline that their best known village is primarily populated by Hylians. The most prominent occupation is service rendered to the Hyrule royal family out of deference to the goddesses. The Temple of Shadows is in Sheikah territory and has Sage Impa assigned to it.

Gerudo are dark skinned humans living in the desert. Their most prominent biological anomoly is that only one male was born every hundred years. An overwhelming portion of their population are a harem of theives, with older or particularly talented people taking up other professions (such as witchcraft). Sage Nabooru serves the goddeses in the Temple of Spirit.

Kokiri-

Are the actually elfin creatures. They cannot age past childhood and will become deathly ill upon leaving the forest. They have been assigned the Great Deku Tree as a manifested diety, and are born from it. This being assigns each one a fairy companion for life. The government is an ecclassia, effectively run by the Great Deku Tree itself while Sage Saria serves the Forest Temple. The first was assassinated by Gannondorf Dragmire, but one of its seeds grows into a being that wields the same position and power. They have a small, isolated economy.

Koroks-

After the deluge, the second Great Deku Tree seeks to rebuild the land by planting its seeds outside its own woods. To ensure the safe travel of its children, the Kokiri evolve into beings much more tree like than their typical hero costumes-effectively taking the forest with them wherever they go. Rotoscoping leaves allow them biological flight. Their governement doesn't change but their culture and industry become much more tribal.

Lizalfos-

A warlike lizard race. They are unique in that their religion doesn't revolve around the three goddesses that created Hyrule, but a fabled paradise that can be physically quested for (in theory). Due to a lack of clues on how, they practice mercenary arts in preparation for the quest and in exchange for clues about it.

Minish-

The Minish are dimunitive beings that exist with a nigh Hylian culture but at a microscopic scale. They once had informal diplomatic relations (informal mostly due to their own anarchal system of government) with Hyrule. The attack the rogue Minish mage Vaati launched against Hyrule led them to seal the magical space warping portals that could resize Hylians to Minish scale and vice versa were sealed-effectively cutting off the Minish from the rest of the world. There occupations were as varied as Hylians, though they had a proficiency for scholars and magicians.

Moblins-

Moblins are mercenary, golbin like creatures. They currently have a merit based monarch and have a tribal culture, which is the ethnicity Bokoblin. After the deluge, they are decimated beyond having a culture.

Oocca-

Yet to be rediscovered sky beings, the Oocca have been seperated from nearly everyone else. These creatures live in the City in the Clouds, the most technically advanced society to ever exist due to their usual absence from the wars that wrech havoc on the land. Nearly everything about them is too alien to understand in a Hylian sence.

Rito-

In the future, after the deluge, the Zora embraced the diety Valoo. They took to living on a mountainous island and evolved into bird like creatures (Valoo personally grants each of them one of his scales which allows them a permanent ability to fly). They become as industrious as Goron with the main profession being air mail, but lose none of their devotion to the goddesses and tend to their new diety with piety.

Twili-

Having been damned to a world where light dwellers only exist as spirits, the Gerudo eventually managed to become Twili. Twili are completely demonic-stained by sin in the eyes of the Golden Realm, possessing supernatural powers, undead and monstrous in appearance, residents of Twighlight. Being completely cut off from the 'real' world of daylight, the Twili economy is dedicated toward improving their lot and their knowledge with dark magic and the refinement of pure shadow. Their government is merit based monarchy, the crown holder ruling everything until a challenger takes the crown. The most widely known upset came from the court jester Zant worshipping Ganon for favor and taking the crown by magical coercion, followed by the previous crown holder Midna regaining the throne by killing him and his benefactor.

Yeti-

Yet to be discovered (recently evolved to sentience?) creatures. Those that are known to exist live on Snow Peak Mountain that is much colder than the Goron's volcanic Death Mountain. There seem to remain in family unit based tribes...if there is even that amount of political organization. There main occupation is foraging, at which they are nigh supernaturally adept.

Zora-

Zora are a very devout and traditional people. The Water Temple is in Hyrule Territory but Zora waterspace, and kept in pristine condition by the Domain of the Zora government. The government of the Domain of the Zora is a hereditary monarchy. The regard for tradition has probably been the force that has stunted scientific progress. However, the Zora people have been assigned their own diety, Jabu-Jabu, by the goddesses to watch over them. This leads to a shocking unemployment rate, yet a total abscence of poverty.

These are but some of the legends of which the people speak:

The Hero of Men: King Gustaf united Hyrule with the Minish forged Four Sword (later known as the Master Sword). He also inadvertently started the tradition of Heroes being uniformed in a green tunic.

The Hero of Cap: Link from Minish Cap. Added the cap to the 'uniform'.

The Hero of Time: This Link faced Gannondorf and eventually Ganon by fighting simultaneously as a boy and young man. Shortly after telling the Zelda of his childhood of his future adventure, he dissappeared from existance. The first scene of Majora's Mask illustrates this and explains how he wasn't around to run into his future self in Ocarina of Time.

The Hero of Soul Blade: This Link was discovered before his greatest adventure. When a magician attacked the land, this Link was summoned, equipped and sent to defeat him. He discovered that the magician was actually driven by a demon sword. Link temporarily left his world to defeat the sword but returned triumphantly.

The Hero of Twilight: Twilight Princess occurs after Ocarina of Time.

The Hero of Winds: Wind Waker occurs after this story.


	2. Somber Party

"I'm just saying, as one princess to another, when Link comes back you better not stand in our way. Our lands were just saved hours ago-So don't start a war just because you want to marry my fiancee.", Ruto told Zelda.

Zelda put on airs of supplication. "Your grace...If Link was to come back, wouldn't he by now? To him, all this happened seven years ago and it was a very difficult adventure. Would he have not simply spent six of those years training and aided himself in it if it were possible? I fear he may have fallen where none of us know."

The princess of the Domain of the Zora refilled her cup with water and spilled it over herself, just as she had done about every ten minutes. "As long as you don't get any ideas about my man just because he's the same species as you, we'll be alright."

The two were talking at the victory celebration held in Hyrule field. All the races had come together, heralding each other in the firelight and extolling the virtues of a single Hylian that had saved them all. Through the powers of the Hero of Time, it seemed that eras such as the War of Re-Unification that the kings remembered would never come to pass again.

"Your Grace.", Impa announced herself to Princess Zelda. "Please, forgive this humble servant's ignorance. I was under the impression that parties were to be times of merriment."

The girl followed the older woman's gaze. On a high vantage point, a verdant-haired child sat holding her knees to her chin and gazing into the night sky with only her fairy for company. Beyond her, a red headed woman with deep brown skin glared at the entire event.

"You are accurate as always, my dearest Impa.", Zelda told her. "Thank you for your constant vigilance. I only hope that I can meet your expectations."

"Service is my reward, Your Grace.", Impa said while withdrawing. Impa retreated to a distance where she obviously stood guard while trying to appear to not be standing guard.

"What's up with that?", Ruto asked. "If she wanted you to go talk to them, why not simply ask?"

Zelda shrugged. "She's always felt that I deserve every privledge of soveriegnty-which unfortunately includes an absence of any directive or critiques. One time, I must have been twelve, I was being such the brat. Impa was trying to yell at me. She was so furious. But still, it was that self-depreciating 'I, your must humble servant, am ashamed to have bungled your tutelage.' and 'Pleae forgive my not being qualifed to train a monkey in a lovely gown to behave as nobility have earned their well deserved reputation.' It's the only time I've seen anyone shaking their fist in a curtsy. Even now, she refused to speak to me as an equal in regards to being awakened as a Sage.

"I don't know what I would have been if it hadn't been for the troubles that have plagued our land for so many years. If everyone had treated me like that all the time I was a teen, I would have probably been the most insufferable snob the ages had known.

"Oh, well. Off to see about our friends. Please, excuse me."

Zelda's trek across the pary was an adventure in and of itself. She spent a full minute trying to weave her way through the Gerudos' dance of silk. Darunia hefted her into the air as soon as she was with reach and she was whipped around by Prince(?) Link (of the Goron). She didn't know what he had meant with "I'm Link, just as good as any other Link, if you know what I mean." and she didn't think she wanted to know very badly.

The worst was when Talon, the restored owner of Lon Lon ranch promised her tribute. It troubled her to see people that had suffered just as much if not more than her under Gerud...Ganonian occupation try to treat her as somehow more special than they were. And on top of that, she knew it was just a circumstance of birth that made them ignoble...er, ordinary...there didn't seem to be even a gentle way of expressing it.

"um, Pardon.", Zelda began. "Saria, isn't it?"

Saria started, as if she had been awakened. "huh? Oh! Salutations, Your...Highness, right?"

"Please call me, Zelda.", the Hylian replied.

"Oh, I couldn't do that.", the child shook her head in protest.

The Princess shrugged, the performed an ornate flourishing courtsy. "Of course, by all means. Your will is dominant, Sage Saria of Forest herald of Naryu."

Saria couldn't help but chuckle. "It does seem kind of silly, doesn't it?"

Zelda smiled. "You didn't seem to be a silly mood. Rupee for your thoughts?"

Saria sighed. "I'm sorry about bringing the party down. It's just I have the feeling like I'll never see Link again. I mean, if he was in hiding for the past seven years to protect the time stream (as if the past seven years didn't need interference) he probably would have shown up here. We probably won't even see anyone that even reminds us of him until some future crisis that requires a 'Hero of'. It's just a hard pill to swallow, you know?"

Zelda nodded solemnly. "You know what? Come here."

Saria appeared puzzled, but softly floated to the ground to stand before the princess. Zelda picked up the child and firmly hugged her. The Kokiri didn't know why, but she slowly felt better-even her fairy brightened.

Zelda arranged Saria to sit on her hip while she set to carry her. "Better now?"

Saria smiled. "Yes, actually."

Zelda nodded with exagerrated purpose. "Good, for we have mighty work to do."

"You'll make a great ruler.", Saria told her while Zelda carried her toward Nabooru.

"I can hope.", Zelda offered. "I mean, you were the easy one. She's the one I'm worried about."

"Leader.", Nabooru greeted the two simply simply.

Zelda held Saria so she could be a part of the conversation. "Please, just Zelda."

"Zelda then.", was returned in the same simple tone. Nabooru spoke as if she was holding back a great important truth. Zelda wanted that truth, as the only one it seemed to burden was Nabooru. Certainly, she could help with whatever it was once it was out in the open.

"We may have the same concern as you do.", Zelda started. "It's fairly obvious that Link won't be coming back. I tried to give him his childhood back but it may have been a mistake."

The Gerudo shook her head. "That's not what weighs on me. I mean, it's a shame and all that he's gone and can't celebrate with you. But I have more pressing things to worry about than one man-no matter the world's debt to him."

Saria asked, "What then?"

"It's not a matter to discuss with children.", Nabooru dismissed.

Saria laughed. "Just between you and me, I think I'm older than both of you put together. I remember carrying Link piggy back through the Lost Woods."

Nabooru turned her glare away from the gathering and to the two other sages. "I apologize, Sage Saria. And I believe the actions my thoughts are going to turn into will require your input anyway.

"I'm wondering how to contain Gannondorf so my people still have a father."

"What?!", Impa declared. Zelda and Saria started as Impa appeared from seemingly no where.

The Gerudo continued on unabated. "The goddesses chose to 'grace' the Gerudo with only one male every century. While there are young who owe their existences to Gannondorf, none of them are male. None of them will be for what you may consider generations. I'm unsure on how to contain him for another season let alone the next 68 years, let alone how disgusting it will be to not follow our male's whim."

"We take his head, that's how we contain him.", Impa interjected. "Once that sociopath is dead he won't be a threat."

Nabooru's concentrated glare gave way to shock. "What are you saying? How would we even survive without that 'sociopath'?"

Impa tried to take a more conciliatory tone. "You've seen what damage that monster did to the world. Twighlight, you've even helped in part of it. But you've seen the reasons why he needs to be permanently destroyed. It may be harsh to suggest it but losing a line of thieves, witches and concubines is a sacrifice I'm willing to make."

Nabooru's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Harsh?! Sacrifice _you're_ willing to make?!"

"Impa, leave us.", Zelda commanded. She cut off any protest with her first use of a firm voice at the gathering. "That is an order."

Impa pursed her lips. "Of course, Your Grace."

As the older woman walked off, Zelda turned back to Nabooru. "We'll have to return to this issue anyway, as the Dark Realm he's currently trapped isn't monitored in the least. I promise to gather the Sages tomorrow and we'll concil long and hard on this, okay?

"Can you take Saria? I'm going to look after Impa."

Nabooru took Saria onto her hip and Zelda walked after Impa. Nabooru looked Saria in the eye. While somehow Zelda made it work, the two found the same position simply akward. Nabooru let Saria slowly slip from her grasp to standing a pace away. The resulting silence wasn't any more comforting.

"Impa.", Zelda began when she caught up. "I can't believe you would actually tell her that her whole race can hang to her face."

Impa whirled on her. "Your heralded Grace! I do believe I spent a very great time attempting to impart the difference between being a noble and being a ruler. While I (and all should) laud your sympathy, it would be ill advice to attempt to finance it. Gannondorf spent seven years destroying your most regal kingdom, attacking all your neighbors and imprisoning so many this may end up being taught to future generations as the Imprisoning War. He killed your father. He is power lustful and megomaniacal. The only virtues he has are in the sheer competence and aptitude he has for destruction and torture.

"I beseech the crown. Please, rule on this issue-even over your commendable nobility."

Zelda frowned. "I promised Nabooru that the Sages would gather tomorrow to decide this.

"If you hadn't noticed we already have much to do. The people need to be gathered and organized. We need to start organizing Castle Town or anywhere for people to live and farming to feed them.

"But that doesn't mean we start genocide soley for expediency's sake. I know you're concerned. But let's just discuss this tomorrow. With a bit of decorum and tact. Alright?"

Impa nodded. "I will commit to your bidding and inform the other Sages."

"That wasn't an order.", Zelda stated. "I don't even think I asked that."

Impa nearly smiled. "Too late, orders are orders, my privledge to serve, yadda yadda yadda."

Zelda could only shake her head as Impa walked off to interrupt Darunia's dance.

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	3. Debate

Seven people dressed in glowing white robes and masks floated around a seventh. They were in the Chamber of Sages, which wasn't anywhere really but a state of being on the way to the Golden Realm. The glow of enlightenment swirled around them.

In a swirling vortex underneath the floating figures, Gannondorf Dragmire raged with a fury so great and terrible that the holy energies surrounding him splashed off. The vortex never _completely_ faltered. It was just every Triforce of Power backed blow showed that it _could_. His constant howls of anger and madness nearly cursed their way over the constant roar of the vortex.

In a disguised but august voice, Princess Zelda nervously announced, "This meeting is now held.

"The main, and very needily, first and only item on today's agenda is the state of the Great Threat."

"I object.", Nabooru said in an identical voice. "Referring to him as 'the Greath Threat' is as prejudicial as calling him 'the Father to All'."

Impa snorted. "But he is one and only father to yours."

The Sage of Spirit nodded. "True. But still he is contained. And make no mistake: I am asking none of you to take such an dumbfounded risk as letting him not be contained. I am asking that you aid me in returning what he is to us. After all, he is imprisoned now. By us."

"Barely.", Rauru replied. "I have been aware of the transpirings of this Realm for so long that I have not stepped in your Land in your lifetimes. And while the forces that can be brought to bare here are great and numerous, this state is unprecedented. His rage is unimaginable. His attacks are backed by a gift of the Goddesses. Both the Minish and the Fae inform me that he corrupted the Land with his very presence. If he were to escape in the Realm, the consequences would be more dire than the mere seven years of darkness already wrought."

The Sage of Shadow hastily jumped on the point. "So we're all agreed. He's too dangerous to consider any other possibility but sending him to straight to Twilight. So why are we wasting time? Let's just jump to the part where we stab him more than the Hero of Time did."

The Sage of Fire started in surprise. "How would stabbing him transport him somewhere?"

"Because he'll die, and then he'll be dead and then he can suck it. For eternity.", Impa stated with clarity.

Darunia remained confused. "Impaling humans kills them?"

"As if you could just stab him.", Saria pointed out. "He's managed to assassinate our god once. He's defeated everything the world had to throw at him. He's only here now because the Hero of Time weakened him enough to bring all our powers on him at once and that's holding by a thread.

"I am foreseeing the most unfortunate of comprimises, where everyone gets what they don't want. We need a way to get rid of him permanently, but ending the threat forever may prove impossible."

Rito scoffed. "Vaati was defeated. Are we to hold that this power mad wizard is just that much worse than any other?"

"Yes.", Rauru stated. "Vaati never touched the Triforce. Ganon is now as endowed as her Grace."

Nabooru was about to start again but Rito cut her off. "Alright, look. I may be the Sage of Water, and on top of that Zora have always held a certain duty to the water ways of the world. But more important (at least to me) than that is my duty as princess of the Domain of the Zora. I know what it's like to be complete sire-apparent of your species. If I don't lay and I can't be replaced, my species dies. And I promise you that if there is ever an attack against that it would be instant war, and war to extinction if that attack was successful. I'm not going to tell Nabooru to come for my people because I'm not willing to acquiese some imagined revenge.

"But that's why I'm willing to hear her out on this. Here's why you should be too:You're willing to commit genocide. Dragmire froze my country. The damned king fed Goron dissenters to a dragon. This evil has attacked the gods directly and indirectly. He's corrupted the hearts of men. All these evil things we condemn him for. But what species has no future at all because of him? Now the name of the species you're trying to end is Gerudo, and she's right here."

Impa glared at the princess. "Gerudo aren't the whole of humanity, they're the castaways."

Rito countered quickly. "We all get it. You're a guard and she's a theif. You're celibate and she's a whor/"

"Hey!", Nabooru took offense.

Rito rolled her eyes so hard her whole head looked upward. "Sorry! 'Concubine'. But all that's personal taste. And that's even more Ganonian-you deciding who lives and who dies because you feel you're so great that you get to.

"We're sages. We all have other duties...well, maybe not Rauru. But we still have this one. We have to restore some balance now that Courage is missing, Power is corrupted and Wisdom has been silent this whole debate. And I, for one, am not under the belief that marking people off the map is a solution that needs be tried again."

Darunia interjected, "But the world lost Picorri items when the Minish withdrew from it. Impa does have the founding that the only thing the world will lack without Gerudo is insecurity. I could live with my son growing up in a world without a nation of thieves that pops out Tyrants That Be every now and again.

"On the other hand, it's not like he killed any of my people."

Impa shook her head. "Wasn't it said that he fed some of them to a fire dragon."

"Yes, that was horribly inconvenient.", the Goron stated. "They lost so many years of work while they were held. Wait a minute...humans can be killed with lava hot stomach acid too? Next you're going to tell me about being maimed by mere lightning, tornadoes and other everyday weather. How do you people manage?"

Everyone stared at him. "What? Oh, you're wimps and I'm wrong?"

Rauru started a different route of thinking. "It's not just a question of morality that could delay any action. As the Sage of Water just pointed out, the Triforce is imbalanced and the Land needs that balance. Unless under direct distress, we need to find some way to separate the Evil That...Dragmire from his prize. I won't advocate killing him until a solution can be found."

Zelda spoke at that point. "That's at least four votes that avoid execution of us seven. We don't need further discussion, and I shouldn't voice a personal opinion on a divisive issue as Leader of the Sages...simply render directives. Therefore, Dragmire will remain entrapped until such time as his final fate can be meeted out.

"Nabooru:You are the most vested in his...continuation. You are also the Sage of Spirit. And since he sprung from your nation onto all others, your people are not reconstructing. The leaves you with time, expertise and devotion to finding a way to permanently contain him without destroying the Gerudo. I shall leave finding such up to you.

"Impa:The Sheikah have managed to remain hidden throughout his machinations, and so are in the same state as the Gerudo nation. You seem to have even more passion than I that he remains a non-entity. As the Sage of Shadow, you should be able to find some more stable way of containing him than what we have now.

"All I ask of you, Rauru, is to commune as closely as you can with the goddesses. We need actionable information on the Triforce, not simply legend. How to seperate Power from him without exposing him to the world, for starters. And how to restore true balance despite his continued corruption."

"I believe the rest of us have nations to rebuild. I understand our world needs to be free of such a devastation as Dragmire. But our people need our help more than Gannondorf needs to be extinguished or punished. Saria, grow your god. Darunia, set your people back to their labors and their celebrations. Rito/"

The Zora cut her off. "Until my betrothed returns, I'm kind of screwed. Well, not exactly as that is sort of the problem. You know what I mean."

Zelda continued. "Um...too much information? Anyway, I have a Hyrule to return to form. I think that's all we can do in the meantime until we have more information."


	4. Ruto's Realization

Ruto floated lazily next to Jabu-Jabu. The enormous god cast one eye down upon the princess of his followers. Ruto, having attended him for most of her life, understood this small gesture for the question it was.

"I know, I know.", she began. "But I gave it as an engagement present to the Hero of Time. That's supposed to bring it back to our Domain. But Zelda, time travel, yadda yadda yadda...what's to be done?"

"Ask someone else for help?", Sheik replied.

Ruto twisted to catch a glimpse of the Sheikah standing on the only dry place in the lake, a fallen tree whose curve lifted it out of the water. With a girlish and gleeful giggle, Ruto dove underneath the surface for a split second only to propel herself skyward. The Zora landed next to Sheik with barely a sound of her landing.

"Come to get that thank-you I had Link tell you about?", Ruto flirted.

Sheik glared with one crystal blue eye, the other covered in blonde locks.

"No."

"I did come back to give you these. I believe they are property of the Domain of the Zora."

And with that, Shiek handed her a longshot, a boomerang and the Spiritual Stone of Water.

Ruto smiled. The sound that followed was nearly a purr if fish could. "You know that this makes you my future husband, right?"

Sheik let out a breath. "I'm female, Ruto."

"Sure you are.", Ruto replied. "Don't worry, playing hard to get just makes the chase more rewarding."

Continuing her glare, Sheik grabbed one of Ruto's wrists and held it to her chest. "See, mammary glands!"

Ruto rolled her eyes. "Of course you have mammary glands. You're a 'mammal', duh."

Then the princess considered the statement. "Yes, mammals like touching each other. But humans have a lot of shame, covering themselves unlike Goron and Zora...I'm sorry. I get it. I'll examine you _really_ closely for evidence of your gender."

Sheik pealed Ruto off of herself. The glare burned with an undeniable intensity in an eye so blue it was nearly Zora. Such a trait was probably what first attracted her to Link...

Link had blue eyes, and so did Sheik and how many humans could possibly have the Zora eye color? Link had blonde hair and so did Sheik. Link dressed in tunic, half out of the tradition of Heroes like Gustaf (the Hero of Men) and Link (the Hero of Cap, no relation) before him and half out of the fact that when the races fashioned clothes to aid the next Hero they did so in the same tradition. Sheik dressed in what was exactly designed to keep one from guessing his...or at least for the moment, "her" true identity. Link rarely spoke, and when he did it was so low as to barely be heard even in water. Sheik had a commanding tone, as if trained for command. At the party, everyone tried to come up with some lengthy time travel explanation to explain why the Hero of Time didn't exist between his boyhood state and his return, and they only had Princess Zelda's word on his last trip back through time. But what if he was here all the time? Time travel or disguise, which explanation fell to Occam's Razor first?

Ruto smiled slyly. Sheik's visible eye rolled. "Oh, this is gonna be good.", she commented.

Ruto started coyly. "Let's say you're not male. Let's even say you're not who I think you are. Then you wouldn't mind revealing the back of your left hand. I mean, I already know your skin color-anyone who meets you does. And I'm not trying to catch a glimpse of your hand in public and put two and two together...I don't need to see your fingers. Just show me you don't have a Triforce embedded and I'll believe what everyone else believes."

"But if you do, then I get to keep all my promises made. I get to thank you. I get to promise my undying love. I get to marry the man I gave the Zora's Sapphire to and the man who gave it to me."

Sheik spun around immediately, clutching her hand. "This is rediculous."

"It is you, Link.", Ruto squeeled. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me...uh, and Lord Jabu-Jabu won't tell anyone."

The god arched a brow at the insinuation, before returning to his passive expression.

The Zora continued. "And I'll wait for you. If you're bringing back what you collected in your journeys to everyone, it'll be easier if no one suspects 'Sheik' is really the Hero of Time. And I don't know if you know, but the Sages are still trying to come up with a way to not end the Gerudo yet still keep Ganondorf Dragmire imprisoned. If we were to need your help, keeping 'Sheik' on tap and the Hero of Time to be revealed is a good idea. Ooh, I'm getting a sly one for my husband."

Sheik slapped her forehead. "It's time for me to go."

Ruto put both hands over her eyes. "You can save the Deku Nut. A good wife knows when to let her man roam free."

The Zora princess blindly back-flipped twice to dive in Jabu-Jabu's pond with barely a splash. And when she surfaced, Sheik was already gone.


	5. Darunia's Introduction

Darunia hummed the music from the tunnel to the Lost Woods to himself. His son roamed the city, keeping abreast of every single citizen. Only Dragmire's attacks could drive a need for the first apprentice elder in known Goron history, so there would be some hope of continuity of council. The rest of his citizens had returned to their trades and the economy was returning to what it should be, from Biggoron all the way down. The days of war were over. All in all, life was getting good.

"Getting the Megaton Hammer of your ancestors back should make it better then.", Sheik told him.

Darunia spun around at a speed that half of ton of solid rock should never have been capable of. "Who are you?!"

"I'm the one that taught Link the Bolero of Fire.", Sheik replied. "I believe this belongs to your people."

Standing next to the Sheikah was the hammer of legend. Darunia's face lit up. The Goron tumbled across the room, as if bending into and out of the form of a boulder was as easy as blinking an eye. The Goron grinned broadly as he held the hammer high.

"Ho ho!", he exclaimed. "Now the good times'll stick around, or else!"

Sheik remained impassive. "I also have the Spiritual Stone of Fire. I would have put it back on display, but your man up there seemed to have a taste for it."

Darunia's grin lessened as he accepted the Goron's Ruby from Sheik. "He should spend more time fletching and less wondering about rocks that aren't for eating. I'll let him know in no uncertain terms when I put it back on display.

"So what do you want in exchange for my people's treasures, boy?"

"Your good will.", Sheik stated plainly.

"Really?", the Goron asked, disbelievingly.

Sheik continued. "These have been extraordinary and difficult times. Sage Ruto has told me that there are still difficulties with Dragmire's containment."

The Goron laughed. "More than difficulties or issues or whatever other euphamism you care to use. Nabooru's caring a whole lot more over her own people's potential just desserts than my tribe's innocent incarceration. The Gerudo facilitated Dragmire the whole way. And now that they're looking at not even a punishment, or a consequence but a return on their investment the woman's screaming bloody murder. For someone who cared so little about others, she's asking a lot."

"And you said so to the other Sages?", Sheik asked.

Darunia swivelled in the Goron equivalent to shaking one's head. "Not enough. What I feel and what policy should be can be different, and is one of the most important lessons of an elder. The Great Threat didn't destroy my people and keeping the Gerudo from him will destroy theirs. Even if I did feel that Goron should be the only brown skinned beings left, making decisions for genocide is still just that.

"What makes it so difficult is that all the people who did invest in Gannondorf are still in that desert. And I'm not trying to blame a whole country for the crimes of one man. But I am no fool. They have always been a nation of thieves. Add to that the defacto amnesty they already enjoy simply because no one raise the possibility of punishing them for supporting Dramire. Now Nabooru asks for Dragmire? Even the best medicine tastes bitter and has side effects. And I can't call her aims the best medicine for this land."

The Goron patted Sheik on the shoulder. "You have an open ear in me. If you have any counsel to give, questions to ask or favors to insist:I will at least listen."


	6. Saria's Return

Saria paced in front of the Great Deku Sprout. It regarded her with thousands of years of patience. She turned to start speaking, then stopped herself-repeatedly. Sometimes it seemed like embarrassment. Other times, a confusion on how to express things. When she noticed Sheik standing at the entrance to the Sprout's glade, she breathed a quick "oh, Thank goddesses."

"Am I interrupting something?", Sheik asked.

The Great Deku Sprout seemed taken aback. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I...or my parent has ever met you. How do you know the way here?"

"Saria's songs are easy to follow.", the Sheikah replied. "I came to return some things. I'm sure the Hero of Time would have wanted them to make their way back here."

With that, Sheik extended both the Fairy Bow and the Kokiri's Blade out to Saria. Saria blinked as if trying to believe what was happenning. The girl finally accepted the weapons with akward grips and mumbled thanks. Sheik then turned to the Great Deku Sprout.

"I think you might find this useful.", Sheik stated. And with that, the Sacred Stone of the Forest floated out of the Sheikah's hand. It came to the Great Deku Sprout unerringly. And the moment it made contact, it seemed to vanish.

But its effect was immediate. The Great Deku Sprout nearly leaped toward the sky. The tree grew so fast, Saria was nearly physically hurled out of the way and landed in a sitting position. It didn't stop growing until it had overtaken the spot that the carcass of its parent had just occupied and its canopy shaded the entire glade again. The newly regrown Great Deku Tree said all there was needed, "Thank you."

"Of course.", Sheik replied.

"Do you play?", the Great Deku Tree asked.

Sheik seemed puzzled. "Play?"

"Music. You commented on Saria's music and I was wondering if you played.", the tree explained.

"Oh.", Sheik understood. "The lyre. I was able to teach the Hero of Time songs with it. Did he learn to play here, in the forest?"

Saria finally looked up. "Uh, yes, actually. I taught him the ocarina."

Sheik nodded. "An accomplished composer and fine teacher. Everything must come easily to you."

"Oh, my goddesses, no.", Saria objected. "This entire Sage business seems to be beyond me. I was the first to be awakened by Link. But still, I think the other Sages treat me like a child."

Then she turned to the Great Deku Tree. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. How am I supposed to debate amongst them as their equal when everything about their species tells them I'm not? How do I get them to stop treating me like a child?"

The Great Deku Tree pointed out, "But you are a child. And there is no reason to be abashed about that. There is nothing wrong in taking comfort in being cradled by the Princess of Destiny. There is no shame in running as fast as you can for as long as you can just to run. I think Mido may benefit from a bit more childishness, actually.

"But that doesn't mean the Sages will not respect you. Yes, you are different from them. But if the goddesses meant for us to be the same, we would be. Most of the Sages are mammals, correct? How do you think Darunia or Ruto feel about that? Rauru hasn't even been to our realm in even your lifetime."

Sheik was taken aback. "How old are you, Saria?"

"Oh, we don't really count age, since we don't grow up.", she answered. "My only answer is that I know I haven't changed since I helped Link's mother deliver him here."

"Thank you for explaining.", Sheik said.

Saria was about to mumble a reply...but then realized. "I did explain, didn't I? And to an adult."

The Great Deku Tree would have nodded. "You see, Saria. You are just as able as anyone to live up to these things. Perhaps it is time for you to return to the village? I'm sure everyone would like to hear what happenned to Link as well as what things are like outside the forest."

Saria smiled. "Of course, Great Deku Tree. And thank you, Sheik, wasn't it?"

"Your completely welcome.", Sheik told her. Sheik ruffled the child's hair before Saria ran off as quickly as her little legs could carry her to the village.

"I thank you as well.", the Great Deku Tree told Sheik.

"Thank me with your understanding then.", was the terse reply. "How is it you know of the Sages, anyway?"

"I am rooted to the Land.", the tree replied. "I am sorry, that is the best I can explain it."

"Hm.", Sheik nodded as if comprehending. "Do you know of how tense things are right now?"

The tree's leaves rustled without wind. "I know that many nations are slower in their return than Kokiri Village, particularly the decimated Kingdom of Hyrule and the recently thawed Domain of the Zora. I know that there is only a single male born of the Gerudo every hundred years and Gannondorf is not two score winters. But I also know that so many now know what war truly is from one boy's adventure. I doubt that they will pit armies against each other when a solution to everyone's concerns can be reached."

"And what is that solution?", Sheik asked.

The Great Deku Tree let out a sigh. "I am not Nayru."


	7. Zelda's Coronation

Queen Zelda took up her position between the empty pedestal for the Spiritual Stones and the sealed Door of Time next to Impa. The outer lobby of the Temple of Time was filled with every Hylian that could make the journey. Her subjects spilled out onto the surrounding concourse, the loudest being placed by the door to repeat what they heard to the others.

That journey was leagues safer than it was two days ago. An unusually viscious warlord would salt the earth. Gannondorf Dragmire had corrupted the land so badly it spit up the dead in order of evil of the spirit. Or even more unholy, the corpses so devoid of life that meeting their gaze drew some of the life from the victim freezing them in place. The population had been praying for the goddesses to return the land back to a merely dangerous state of bladed plants and barely animate skeletons of monsters long extinct. None had even dared dream of a time when it was actually pleasant to make a half day's walk from Kakariko Village to where Castle Town once was.

The ruins of the town dampened the spirits the journey had rose. Refugees and the original Hylian immigrants of Kakariko lamented the destruction of the capitol. Some wept openly, knowing they couldn't even find the wreckage of their home. Others took in a deep breath and marched directly to the Temple of Time. No one dared visit the site of the demon thief's collapsed citadel.

The newly crowned queen looked out onto a crowd of the beaten, the downtrodden, the out of hope.

"Coronations are alleged to be joyous occasions.", the few minutes queen started. "Munitions exploding in air. Homes filled beyond capacity. Songs of 'The Queen is dead, long live the Queen.

"Well, I for one, am not going to stand here and celebrate my father's murder. I am not going to pomp myself up with the accolades that my ancestors' deeds have attached to the crown.

"I am not going to drain a citizenry and defend it with title, birthright or position. I am not going to ask you to celebrate a nation crunched into a single village. I am not going to ask you to bring forth reminders of war. I am not going to attempt to overshadow my heritage's previous parades.

"I am going to trade demands with you. These demands are non-negotiable dictates of the crown. All my subjects, individually and collectively, are hereby bound through honor and law to uphold each and every one of them.

"I demand that you rebuild the Kingdom of Hyrule beyond its previous glory. I/"

And she was cut off by applause. Her satin white gloves, originally designed for waving to crowds for hours on end did nothing to help her quiet the crowd. After several moments she was able to continue.

"I exchange this demand for one of your own-demand that I am the queen you need me to be to complete such an endeavor!"

The crowd roared with a force that nearly pushed her father's recovered crown off her head.

"We are a people. We come together to make the Kingdom. We are Hyrule. As such, we will rebuild. We will be greater than ever. It is our efforts that I foresee creating an unrivaled nation. Let us remind the goddesses why they made us!"

"I have yet to use the royal 'we' allowed the office. And that's because I wanted to explain my use of it to the nation first. 'We' means that I am this nation. When a child goes hungry-I go hungry. When a man gives a days sweat and lives in a tent, I live in a tent. How can you feed my citizenry and I go hungry? How can you strike my citizenry and I not bleed?"

The new queen drew a deep breath, as if preparing to rip off a bandage stuck to the wound. "We accept the crown because we accept the responsibility it means to the most important part of the Kingdom-the people that are its subjects.

"Thank you, my fellow Hylians. And goddesses bless the Kingdom of Hyrule."

The crowd's applause echoed in the stone chamber. The whistles and cat calls of people outside carried inside.

Zelda crowded Impa into a corner. "We'll need certain subjects to remain to meet with us. Please make sure the chief of the carpenters, the running man, the owner of Lon Lon Ranch and the elder scientist are here when we return. um...that's we in the singular."

Impa beamed with pride at her new queen. "Of course, Your Highness. It is my utmost pleasure to serve."

Zelda wanted to say she felt like the same seventeen year old girl she was a week ago. But a week ago she was hiding from the Dark King. Her kingdom was in ruins. It would have been a crisis of national security if she actually interacted with any of her citizens. And while she didn't feel magically transformed by the crown on her head, the anxiousness of rebuilding that had replaced the dread of making a single mistake in the war against Dragmire was too big a change to ignore. So instead she smoothed out her gown and the silks that overlaid it, pulled her gloves back over the crests of her toned biceps and straightened her crown. "How do I look?"

Impa smiled. "Regal. Majestic. Go get 'em."

And with a slight nod, Zelda turned back to the crowd.


	8. Nabooru's Lament

Nabooru didn't turn around when she realized she was not alone in her room at Gerudo Fortress. She simply continued to gaze into the candle light. If it was one of the Gerudo that respected her, she would make a polite noise and not claim to have surprised her. If it was one of the harem that didn't, she would try to sneak closer to further impart the idea that she was better than Nabooru. If an assassin from another country was looking for revenge out of blind rage, they would have been sloppier and probably would have started killing at the first Gerudo they had seen. If it was an assassin on orders, the Gerudo would have had to dodge something by now. And if it was a thief, they would have chosen anywhere else to be as Nabooru didn't have anything of value in the room.

Gerudo kept their treasures in places secure enough that whoever stole them deserved to. Nabooru smiled: Maybe that's why the Hero of Time made off with so many of them.

But this 'twilight interloper' simply remained. So Nabooru continued what she was doing-thinking.

After several minutes of this, the intruder spoke. "Do you mind if I set these down?", Sheik started. "I did have to carry them a ways."

Nabooru turned on her cushion. "The Sheikah that defended the Hero of Time in Kakariko. The invisible hand that stole the very princess of the Zora from the ice that covered the Domain. The bolerist. The guide of Forest. The man who did not lift one finger to stop the rape of my mind and enslavement of my body at the hands of the very enemy he was set on defeating despite the necessity of my alliance. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Sheik's visible eye narrowed in annoyance. "I am not going to apologize for my actions or inactions. I did what I could."

Nabooru assured him. "But of course you did."

"I brought the Gerudo's treasures.", she stated simply. On the floor, leaning against the wall, were a finely polished shield with Gerudo markings and silver guantlets.

Nabooru raised an eyebrow. "And the enchantment of ice for arrows?"

"Why do you need arrow head enhancements?", Sheik asked.

Nabooru took a step towards Sheik. "And the Golden Gauntlets?"

"Are Gannondorf Dragmire's treasures Gerudo treasures?", Sheik countered.

Another step brought Nabooru standing within striking distance of Sheik. "So what you really mean is that you've brought the treasures of the Spirit Temple. How quaint to try to attach ethnic pride to the responsibility the goddesses thrust upon me. Would you like some other service to be met with a joyous smile? Funny, since the kid stole those items fair and square but my pride as a tradition of thieves is supposed to be harmed by exposing that fact."

Sheik's eye glared. "Fine."

"At least now you're not lying with that Hylian, just the pleasant side of the truth way.", Nabooru stated without the previous sarcasm. "What's your price?"

"I want to talk.", the Sheikah told her.

"Talk is cheep."

Sheik tried again. "I want honest answers to honest questions."

Nabooru nodded. "That will cost you the shield and gauntlets."

Nabooru used her foot to slide them behind her and across the room. The Sage of Spirit then crossed her arms defensively. "No, I won't give you a massage and see where it goes. Did you have any other questions?"

Sheik took a breath as if holding onto a temper. "What are you planning? I'm not qualifying the question so I get all the answers to it, not just what fits the letter and not the spirit of those qualifications."

Nabooru chuckled. "Well. I'm planning to go back to staring at the candle, it helps me think. I'm planning on organizing a way to research what the leader of the Sages asked me to. I'm planning on having the first full meal and sleep on cloth in several years tonight. But the most pressing thing I'm planning on is killing several of my country women tonight.

"Because you see, we are a harem of thieves. We do all the preening and jockeying for position that every other woman does. But while Sheikah have more than one man, we do not. And while Hylian women are rarely trained in the spear or the bow or the scimitar or a hundred other things that could kill those pretty blonde tresses just as dead as the desert-we are.

"So I'm going to walk into the dining hall where all my sisters are waiting-you know: the women who trained me and were trained by me, the women who I've shared my entire life with, who I've been standing up to every other Sage in the defense of their society. I'm going to walk into a dining hall where those who respect me are going to want my protection, but aren't going to pledge loyalty until they see something that proves I can. Those that hate me aren't going to try to get Gannondorf to notice them instead of me, their going to blame me for their loss and try to prove I'm unfit to hold his place with the edge of a blade.

"How many do you think it'll take before things settle? If I land some particularly ghastly wounds, maybe a bit less than you might expect. But that would be fighting inefficiently, and if I tire too soon the Sage of Spirit is dead. And all of them die anyway. Because Impa is certainly not going to do me any favors.

"Is that enough honesty for my goods, boy?", Nabooru ended.

Sheik shook her head. "I wish it was. But I wish a lot of things. I wish I could be your friend, but you want to find that as impossible as Impa does."

And with that, Sheik exploded a Deku Nut. Nabooru leapt through the smoke and caught nothing but wall. Finding nothing, Sheik raced to the window and found no one hanging to the wall of the fortress. She whistled to guard after guard and each waved their spear in the 'all clear' signal. Nabooru went to the door and found only a Gerudo holding a tray.

"Did you see a Sheikah man come this way?", Nabooru asked.

"No.", the girl told her. "On the other hand, I did hear how you were *snicker* going to kill us *snicker* to...enforce our loyal...ty! Hahaha! I can't believe he fell for that!"

Nabooru laughed along. "Like I wouldn't let everyone in on the plan the moment I got back. He knew Gannondorf is important to us all but dismissing us as turncoat, murderous, thieves was just so easy for him to do."

"Well, that's because Gannondorf is more important to some of us than others.", the girl told Nabooru. "I have needs, you know."


	9. Reconstitution

Queen Zelda of the Kingdom of Hyrule, bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, strode into the Temple of Time. She was met with a haphazard set up. The cathedral was now nearly empty and her heels had her echoing throughout the lobby with every step. Impa stood behind the altar. The altar was the only thing in the room that would support the leather map showing the remembered borders predating the Imprisoning War. The summoned subjects stood before the altar: The scientist hunched over but brimming to the gills with curiousity. The cheif of the carpenters smiling jovially over defensively crossed arms. The running man pacing back and forth, noting her entrance and pacing some more. And Talon appearing more nervous than anyone.

She strode up to the altar and before she could open her mouth, Impa greeted her.

"Your Majesty."

With two words everyone instantly showed deference. Zelda's most trusted mentor, and in some respects savior, curtseyed before her with an averted gaze. The men realized nearly before Impa had finished and bowed as low as they could. The scientist was nearly comical. Why did they bow for so long...oh.

"Rise?", Zelda asked hoping for the desired effect.

The gathering straightened as best they could.

The queen continued. "I...We did not expect our first question to be this. Where did you find that?" She was pointing at her father's throne sitting dead center over the altar.

"Hahaha.", the foreman chuckled. "My boys can do anything when they finally get their acts together. We didn't find it, we rebuilt it based on my memory of seeing one time. Your father's 40th birthday, Your Majesty."

Zelda took a settling breath. This just may work.

"May I?", she asked. Then she caught Impa's look. Zelda took it upon herself to glance at Talon, who hurried to get out of her way to the throne. When she sit in it, it was nearly as if she was returning to her father's lap. When she touched nothing but stone, she was returned to the present. Her annoyance at the interrupted memory helped tone her voice for what she had to ask.

"We have bad news that will hopefully lead to good news. When Castletown was attacked, it was caught between the Dark King outside its single gate and the Lost Woods. Being trapped by what were supposed to be natural defenses resulted in the carnage we see every time we return to the Temple of Time. Kakariko Village, which Impa has so generously allowed Hylian immigrants, is beyond capacity and has been since Castletown fell.

"So we are reorganizing the kingdom. We regret the inevitable losses that will occur. But rebuilding Hyrule to more than it was, so that it cannot simply be pushed off the map again, takes priority.

"Therefore, by direct proclamation of the crown, we hereby requisition Lon Lon Ranch; its lands, its holdings and all related facilities."

Talon was in shock. "The ranch has been with my family/"

The queen cut him off. "Are you questioning our authority?"

The men glanced back and forth between Talon and her majesty. Impa gazed upon him without a hint of emotion.

Talon slumped. "No, Your Highness."

"Good.", Zelda declared. "Because we need for you to uphold your oath to hard work more than ever. We intend to specify interdependent communities, so that Hyrule may be interwoven but tactically dispersed."

Zelda reached for a piece of chalk and started drawing over the dyed ink of the leather map before her.

"One of those interwoven communities needs to be for food production. Connected directly to the tributary from the river near this entrance to the Lost Woods, this will allow a minimum of irrigation to be able to bloster crops. We need a Hylian well versed in agriculture to become the first Mayor of that province, so that it may be successful. We were hoping that you hoping that you could aid in the transition of the kingdom's agriculture to a defendable yet tactically unimportant location by accepting the title of Mayor of Ordon province. May the crown count on you, Talon?"

Talon rocked from shock to shock. "uh...yes?"

The queen nodded. "Thank you. Please transport any and all effects that could be useful as soon as possible. And if your daughter has any questions of her family legacy or place within the kingdom, inform her she has an invitation to an audience with us.

"On another note, foreman. Lon Lon Ranch is on stonebed and it's walls could easily connect with the wall west of it that isn't really performin any function. Could not an castle, unapproachable from the sheer drop side, be constructed with room for an even larger urban center to spread forth to the pre-existing mark of that west wall?"

The cheif of the carpenters blinked in suprise. "Yeah. That's sound engineering."

"Then consider yourself on federal dictate. We require drafts of such a project at a pace you have never been asked for before."

Zelda then turned to the scientist. "Kakariko Village."

The scientist smiled. "With Impa's home serving as a library and the concentration of human capital, Your Highness wishes it to become an intellectual center."

The queen nodded. "We had to make a judgement call between you and your student. We would enjoy a community continuing the medical tradition, as that place as seen too many graves. But we do understand the necessity of freedom of thought and creativity while matching natural talent to the pursuit of science. Therefore, any tactical advantage for the Kingdom - whether it is in potions, technology or outright magic- will be deemed a successful execution of the title of Mayor of Kakariko Village. Do you accept?"

"I still have my studies and my student to consider. But with the right to employ...", the scientist noted.

"That brings us to what legal privileges these positions provide. In times of emergency, and you can believe that these are they, mayors will explicit authority over the citizenry in their province. Yes, the rest of Hyrule will be mapped out eventually. But these tasks will not only not waste the potentially invaluable contributions of the population but provide for them as well.

"Talon: As a rancher, you have connections to just about every Hylian in the agricultural arts, no? Task them with building Ordon. That goes for all of you. You know who has talent and potential by the very virtue of being you. Call upon them. Tell them their queen calls upon them because their country calls upon them. In the completion of their small part lies the reward of a truly great kingdom.

"Now please. Rest tonight, but tomorrow set upon the land. I need those plans for a new capitol immediately.", the queen called to her departing subjects.

When they left, Impa moved from her side to before the altar. Then Zelda realized she was moving to before the throne in deference to her now that she didn't feel the need to provide a subtle threat if any of the men had gotten out of line.

"Sound engineering?", Impa began. "Irrigation? Ever since Your Majesty was endowed with the Goddess' Gift of Wisdom, nothing has seemed to be beyond your ability. Even Link's reappearance seemed miraculous to me, but you dealt with it as if you were nearly expecting it. What/"

"Thirty-seven.", Zelda whispered.

"Excuse me, Your Highness.", Impa prompted.

"The number you were going to ask me...us...to guess. It was thirty-seven.", the queen continued.

Impa smiled. "Is Nabooru being honest with us?"

"You have great military expertise.", Zelda told her. "We'll want your expectations on reconstituting an HDF in the morning."

"Is Your Highness dodging the question?", Impa countered.

"And we are giving an order.", Zelda said in the same quiet tone.

Impa nodded. She started in a more formal manner. "Your Majesty, there are a modicum of stores to add some civil comfort to this place. Bedding, provisions and the like. I can take my leave of the throne at your will, guarding from the entrance of the temple."

Zelda wanted to reach out in a more human, friendlier manner. But she knew that Impa would use it as an excuse to address Nabooru as a threat again. So she simply nodded dishearteningly.

Impa curtseyed again and left.

Finally, Zelda allowed herself to slouch in the chair with a sigh. She held her arm above her and stared at the back of her hand. The Triforce of Wisdom shone down upon her. Her mind was rapidly filling in blanks that she had not been witness to, but had clues of. Link's ability to face ancient evils without batting an eyelash being the result of Courage. Darunia's careful concern, recognizing the durability of your average Goron with the tenuous position they were in the last several years. Ruto will be perkier than buxom come a fortnight, when the Domain's average water temperature returns to that of a warm pastry. The predictions sped into sight at the slightest hint.

Even Nabooru's behavior showed what she really felt about Gannondorf Dragmire.


	10. The Ultimate Theft

~31 years ago...

"Oh, there's a sexy thing.", King Dragmire Saulus announced with a hoarse whisper. Then he broke into a coughing fit, as he was wont to now that he was on his death bed.

The red headed child beamed at the comment anyway. The young Nabooru skipped over to the bedside of the ailing ruler. "Thing?", she asked. "I'll have to remind you that I'm all woman."

King Dragmire laughed, then coughed, then laughed more. But then his tone changed. "Do you know why I have summoned you?"

Nabooru nodded. "I don't know everything since I've been practicing for my run through the training grounds. But there's talk about some forecasts that Koume and Katoke have been running."

"Yes.", Dragmire replied. "I have been given reason to be concerned for my son."

"There is no reason, Sire.", Nabooru assured. "Gannondorf already pulls at my chest. The prince tries to hide his desires behind an infant's cries for milk, but I see your twinkle in his eye."

The king nodded. "But still...I want you to be in charge of his seduction."

Nabooru's smile was gone and she nearly froze in place. "Please. My Liege. There are prettier girls than me. There are women with the actual experience of your bed. I...I'm not the one to organize our people in such an effort."

Dragmire spoke over her. "Are you not going to be ready for the training ground's mazes, traps and monsters before any of your sisters? Can you not face most of my guards?"

"Well, yes. But that's/"

"Then use the same diligence in the pursuit of my son, and you will succeed."

Nabooru shook her head, then slumped her shoulders. "Yes, Sire."

Dragmire closed his eyes. "Come here.", he commanded.

The young girl climbed on his death bed and curled into a fetal position. She was still small enough to use his arm as a blanket. She knows she is one of a very few that are not yet into her breeding years that have ever been this close to a living king. But listening to his chest, expecting a heart beat and only hearing the rattling of disease told her why his presence wasn't exclusively for those that could stir his lusts.

He spoke softly. "It is not whether or not you are up to the task that worries you."

Nabooru slowly nodded. "I've been to the desert temple, read the walls...Nearly everyone charged with the assignment/"

"You can call it by it's name.", the king told her.

"The Ultimate Theft? Fine. Organizing a force that will take Gannondorf's virginity...Nearly everyone who has performed the Ultimate Theft has become the king's viceroy. That's what troubles me, Sire. It's too much power for a single girl."

"So you see why I must ask you?", the king explained. "When Koume and Katoke tried to divine what his tastes were, they found power."

Nabooru moved to look Dragmire in his eyes. "There are more powerful women than I. In fact, that may help our nation: all its daughters being of strong mothers."

The old man shook his head. "No. Not powerful women. Power. I need to know that the woman that seduces my son will not race along with him in that. That she'll know her duty to her people and to him. Not simply seek..."

The old man coughed more.

"Not simply seek power and use him as a vehicle to it. Such a wench would let our people decay for her own benefit, and not temper my son's passions. Promise me you will do what I ask, Nabooru."

Nabooru returned to the comforting space under his arm. "Alright, Sire. I will set my heart on it as long as you are king. And I will try my best when your son is king, if it does not conflict with his will."

Dragmire seemed to relax. "Thank you, child. I think you should leave now though. I do have to have such a dictate written. We wouldn't want anyone to steal your authority, now would we?"

Nabooru took in the smell of him. "It is only your authority, Sire."

That breath would prove to be her last memory of the late King Dragmire. As soon as she left the room, scribes recorded what would be his last dictate: the mission he charged her with. The Gerudo attempt to feed him that day blew up in their faces, as his coughing made him gag on his food. His body spent the next few hours wearing itself down as it tried to expel the disease in his lungs, the food it thought was the disease...everything really. No matter how her aunts and sisters fought (and his for that matter), they could not steal their king from his fate. He died at a grand old age of a hundred years, eight months-four more than his father, twelve more than his father before him.

Nabooru spent that evening walking listlessly around the fortress. Most everyone seemed only concerned with themselves. "Now I'm going to have to start killing Hylians to work off my extra energy, if you know what I mean." "I already feel the fifteen year itch grandma Hisla told me about. Nabooru better put me on the team if she knows what good for her."

She only found peace when she came to Gannondorf's nursery. The guards at the door, who would have nearly killed her for approaching the prince unbidden hours ago, allowed her passage into the sanctuary. She was charged with the infant prince' seduction, after all. She was authorized to take any action she felt would help Gannondorf impregnate as many Gerudo as possible.

The girl came to the hanging basket that contained her future lover. Their future lover. She cradled the infant in her arms.

Gannondorf nearly woke up, but seemed to find her just as comfortable and slept again. Nabooru whispered mostly to herself. "I promise I'll seduce you, my liege. I promise."

~19 years ago...

Goddess damn those witches! She couldn't really blame the sisters. They were the oldest Gerudo and they had the virgin prince' full attention. How could anyone turn down that, especially when Gannondorf's father spoke to them maybe once every couple of years?

Nabooru continued her quiet fuming as she walked to the king's study. With the look on her face, the only women that were within ten paces of her were the assortment of prepared concubines struggling to keep up with her pace.

But they were not the issue, Nabooru's thoughts continued. Every thing she tried for years fell flat. She arranged performances for him for the past five birthdays and he nearly fell asleep. Not like the boy didn't need the rest, as much as he studied.

It shouldn't have been this hard. Everything she had read in her research for the Ultimate Theft told her that a teenage king would be nearly doing all the work for her, and that her main concern shouldn't be seducing him but making sure he was comfortable enough with being seduced to be seduced again. But King Gannondorf Dragmire seemed to be the only teenager in all the land that would rather have his nose in a tome of wizardry than a woman's hair. Twilight, they had to chase away Hylians - even Shiekah - (and once a Zora) from the entrance of their territory. They came questing on the very rumor of an unused harem. And instead of sedating their frustrations by serving their king, they worked out that frustration by tossing those Hylians from the bridge. They were _supposed_ to hit the water below and survive.

Nabooru paused before the entrance to the study. "Smiles seduce, sneers sadden. Smiles seduce, sneers sadden...", she repeated. When she had calmed at least her outward appearance, the teen beauty entered the chamber.

Walk with one foot in front of the other, it swivels your hips and reminds his instincts of child birth. Never put your arms in front of you, it's defensive and gives the impression that you're defending yourself from him. Keep your eyes from being openned completely, it implies you're not alert enough to fend off an advance. Every technique echoed in her mind.

"My Liege?", she began quietly. "There are several...enthusiastic...girls outside simply dying for your attention."

"I'm sure they won't die.", Gannondorf dismissed.

"We, My Liege.", Katoke corrected.

The teen glanced at the witch in annoyance, at a fraction of the intensity of her sister. The old woman quickly cast down her eyes, as to not mess up the miracle having the young prince' attention. What luck it had been for Gannondorf Dragmire to be a magic prodigy. Katoke and Koume were the Gerudo most qualified to teach such a subject. But still, it didn't pay to annoy someone with his temper.

Nabooru tried to balance assertiveness with softness. "You've been at your studies all day. Surely, these charmers could help you take a break."

Gannondorf spun with a speed only a boy of his youth could possess. Reaching out a hand, a glowing white beam cast new shadows around the room. Beside Nabooru, a statue of her made of ice took shape.

Nabooru tried to keep her mind on task. Instead she was too amazed. Her statue was a near negative of herself. Yes, it was colorless where everything about her screamed pigment, transparent yet bright, even cold where she rarely broke a sweat while practicing under the desert sun. But more so, it was beautiful. It didn't have a single blemish, a hair out of place...even the expression was something she wished for.

Dragmire threw back a swig of green potion. "I'm trying to perfect this. It still shatters at a touch while it should remain as much as an ice block would under the desert sun. But no. You have to interrupt my studies."

The young king finally got up out of his seat. Gannondorf strode purposely across the room to stare up into Nabooru's eyes (while he grew quickly and was sure to be quite a large man, he had many years ahead of him, and he still had an inch before her height). "Tell your 'girls' that they're bothering me. Make sure they get a very good talking to. Because when I perfect this spell, I'm going to have a very good talking to with you."

"Dismissed.", he brushed with wave of his hand.

Nabooru hung her head. She turned to the door and in turning, faced her statue again. The teen couldn't help but reach out and touch it, which did instantly shatter it into a split second blizzard.

The sound made Gannondorf wince at being reminded of his lack of aptitude. He went back to his desk, but instead of sitting he braced himself on his fists. Glaring down at the twin witches seated on either side of him, he spoke clearly and slowly. "One of you is going to explain - explicitly - why that spell isn't working like it should. Otherwise, we're throwing both of you out the window. See, I used the royal 'we' that time, so you should feel extra motivated."

Nabooru closed the door to the study behind her. The women she brought with her saw her face and then shared her gloom. She wanted to throw those witches out the window herself, but she doubted King Dragmire would share her reasons.

Later that day, she was told exactly that. The two stood on top of the fortress, away from the others and exposed to the desert sun.

"It seems like every time I'm advancing in aptitude, you're there to ruin my studies.", Gannondorf scolded.

Nabooru glared at the ground. "It's my duty, My Liege. It may not be my place to say so, but you should want to help me in that/"

"Don't you tell me what I should want!", the king countered. "You already distract me enough-racing through my mind when I should be concentrating on other things. I think I smell you on a breeze and then you're no where to be found. Believe me, there is no need for you to start telling me to want you."

"I'm in charge. I'm king. I tell you. I'll increase my power through wizardry now and descendants later. I'll/"

Dragmire tried to punctuate his point by poking her. His finger just happened to land in the pressure point between the muscles of her shoulder and those of her chest, triggering her martial training instantly. Nabooru could only watch her hand in curiosity as it slid up his arm to his wrist. Once she realized what she was doing, her emotions turned to horror as she grabbed the bones in his wrist and twisted. Gannondorf was twisted off balance.

"My Liege! I am so very and humbly sorry!", Nabooru couldn't apologize fast enough.

Because Gannondorf's fist was already inbound. If she had seen it coming from straight ahead she probably would have stood stock still and taken a beating as best she could. Instead, the blow cropped into her periphery vision. She instinctively leaned out the way and his fist went right past her head. To correct her balance, her foot caught his leg and pulled. In an instant she was not only standing strong but leaning into his back, pushing him off balance and away.

Dragmire stood stock still. He was paces away and facing away from her. He turned back to a very frightened Nabooru. "My King...please forgive...I mean, I just/"

"Show me again.", he commanded. The boy threw the same punch at her. It was sloppy and she had plenty of time. She could have just taken it in the face, it's not like hers was so pretty it was worth protecting.

Her need to obey his command won out. She dodged out of the way, a bit slower so he could appreciate it. She wasn't exactly off balance, but caught his leg with her foot anyway. Once he had passed, she pressed into him and he was on his way again.

Only this time, Nabooru slid her hands down to his wrists and held on. Gannondorf was facing away from her, only this time she had command of his wrists with her hands. He tried to elbow her and she let it sail past her face. This turned the boy around with one arm trapped behind him, the other effectively useless and his body trapped against hers face to face.

"And now, what are you going to do?", Dragmire asked.

Nabooru slid her free hand up his body, along his neck and to his ear. There was nothing left that he could do to stop her. And that's when she pressed her lips into his.

Hours later, the two youths lay under a star lit sky covered only in Gannondorf's cape. Nabooru felt the still warm stone of the fortress' roof on her back, the king's fingers interwined with hers and his ear listening to her heart. And unlike her father, she was perfectly happy.

"You know I was bound to do this.", Nabooru told him. "By law and duty, I was pledged to do this."

Gannondorf looked up at her and she continued hastily.

"But do not think that I did this only because I'm supposed to. I volunteered for this, before you could even understand.

"Then you turned into you. I can't ever recall our father ever doing anything. I can't even recall a story of your father doing anything. He just lounged about: enjoying tribute the women brought back from their exploits...enjoying the women. You have such a thirst...a passion. Even when you're locking yourself away from us, I know it is because you're studying and not just trying to sleep away the midday sun. The things you can do...I don't even think Koume and Katoke are as learned as you've driven yourself to be. You're amazing.

"Yes, I'm no longer worried now that I got this done. But I'm happy, because I got this done for you."

Gannondorf nodded and lay his head over her heart again. "I know what you mean. I can you see you care about me. My territory. My subjects. And you know I've been annoyed with your constant attempts to do exactly this, but I understand.

"You have no idea how hard it is to keep your face out of my mind during my studies. I still can only conjure truly solid ice when it's in the shape of you.

"Remember my birthday? All those girls dancing for me and all I could think of is that you were the one who bothered to organize it. You're capable. You can lead. And the power you can bring to bear with only your body/"

Nabooru cut him off. "Oh, my body, eh? You want to find out more about my body, My Liege?"

Gannondorf gave her what may have been the only playful glare of his young life. "I'm serious. You've practiced and researched so much to do as well as possible for me, my territory and my people. I just want to say...It will make me more powerful to have you as my viceroy and have you teach me those martial skills."

Nabooru let out a breath. "All your subjects have skills, king. We could not survive without everyone doing her fair share. They all have skills..."

She trailed off. A way to a man's heart wasn't through his stomach-it is through his heart. And Gannondorf Dragmire's heart...

Nabooru shifted from under him. Once they were laying side by side, eye to eye, she spoke to him directly. "They all have skills they could teach you. Yes, Katoke and Koume have shown you the power of wizardry. And I'm glad you've seen potential in my skill. But what of that of the bow, or the horse...the spear and the scimitar. Disguise and intrigue. Before you take me as your second, explore all your subjects. I hope you'll thank me when you do. I know they will."

Gannondorf turned to his back. "I know that the best time to practice the skill you've shown me is the sunrise and sunset. You will teach me then. But I also know that even the most diligent of the warriors of my territory do not practice all day. I can examine the skills of the others after my our first lesson.

"I'll have to retire now then. Learning most traditions of magic is easiest when the sun is high in the sky. I may not sleep much, but I'm accostumed to not rising when the sun does."

Nabooru rubbed his arm in assurance. "We don't have to train exactly at dawn."

Gannondorf frowned. "Isn't it best to?"

She nodded. "Well, yes."

"Then that is when we will train.", was his response.

Gannondorf clothed himself quickly. "We may have put on a show here, exposed as we are. But I do intend to leave with my cape."

Nabooru knew this part, it was the only thing about her king that the texts predicted. "You know you have to get comfortable with the entire kingdom knowing you're active now. Why don't you let me wear your cape back to my chamber? Besides, I think you threw what I was wearing into the day...er, night now.

"Come on, My Liege. You can summon the strength to let your subjects know."

Gannondorf nearly barked at her. "You know I can."

With that he left. Nabooru waited a few minutes, then gathered the cape around her. She was not prepared for the gathering of women that met her at the next level. She certainly wasn't prepared for their applause, especially the witches.

The next morning, Nabooru stood next to the best archer she could find at the entrance to the archery range. "Do you really think I'll be the second to partake of him?", the woman asked.

Nabooru looked the woman over. The archer was a hair taller than her, a hair thinner...noticably but not terribly different from her. She was a few years older. The woman had the traditional make up of a Gerudo despite (allegedly) being prepared for an archery lesson. She did follow instructions to wear a quiver and bear a bow that had been used in successful combats. Nabooru glared at her the way she constantly saw Gannondorf glare. "You better hope you are."

Gannondorf made his way up to the Gerudo's archery range. The only reason Nabooru beat him here was that she had had women help bathe her, while Gannondorf bathed himself. He had to clean the sand from after being tossed around but did not want anyone to see him with even the rumor of a purely imagined failure. When he stalked up to her, he couldn't help but spit at her, "You're lucky I understand that the first lesson is learning how to fall. Otherwise/"

"You're not hurt at all, My liege?", the two females asked hurriedly.

Gannondorf looked at them incredulously. "No!", as if such was an impossibility.

They both breathed a sigh of relief. Quickly, Nabooru gestured to the other woman. "This is the best archer we have. Her name is/"

"What purpose do the cosmetics serve?", Gannondorf cut her off. "Should I be wearing them?"

Nabooru was at a loss. She was surprise when the archer had an actual answer. "Sunlight glares off the sweat on your face. The same make-up that we use to draw attention to our eyes is non-reflective, and cuts down that glare. You don't have to wear it when practicing and just beginning. I just wore it to be at the top of my game, Your Highness. Nabooru told me to impress you with my skill."

Gannondorf folded his arms. "Then impress me."

The archer nodded. "The post next to the horse.", she stated simply.

The archer calmly and carefully knocked an arrow into the bow string. She drew back, concentrated a moment. With a simply release, the arrow took flight.

It bounced off the post, scaring the horse. Fortunately, that played into Nabooru's plans.

"She's just tense, My Liege.", Nabooru began. "She's under a lot of stress, knowing she would be taking responsibility for your instruction. She just needs to relax. I know what relaxed me yesterday..."

"Fine.", Gannondorf declared. The boy fell upon the woman right there.

Nabooru smiled to herself as she left the archery range. While walking back, she was met by a girl barely older than herself.

"Why does she get him?", the girl began. "I'm a better shot than she is."

"No, you're not.", Nabooru countered. "The king is right, in a sense. He needs to be powerful-he rules over and is responsible for all of us. He needs the greatest teachers in everything. I'm not going to cover for you just because you want him so badly. Every one of us wants him. But we all need him."

The girl wailed. "But I'm not the best at anything by myself."

Nabooru thought a moment. "What about your pickpocketing? You're pretty good at that, or so says the pins that were holding _my_ hair a minute ago."

"Finders keepers.", the girl told her while adjusting her hair. "Sure, I'm good. But you should see me when Uru, Kata and Nagomi work together. When we set up distractions, block view paths and path things off to each other/"

"Four of you?", Nabooru asked, nodding her head in thought.

"Well, yes.", the girl admitted.

"You convince the others to work together in this as well.", Nabooru told her. "All four of you get him. But only as the team-and you will teach him your technique."

"All four on the same single night?", the girl whined.

"That's the deal. Otherwise, it's water finding and the scimitar and/"

The girl cut her off. "It's a deal." She sealed the deal with a kiss.

Nabooru gently pushed her away. At least now that Gannondorf was active, there would be less of that. "Save it for the king."

For the next few hours, Nabooru entertained quieries about who would be with the king when. Nabooru always replied with quieries about what skills the woman possessed. Somewhere along the way, she had a quill in one hand, paper in the other and an ink well in the crook of her arm. Balancing a shedule with as many of her sisters and aunts as possible while keeping enough 'wiggle room' to take into account Gannondorf's headstrong ways. She wished she could fit her mother in for Gannondorf but she knew no skill at a level that could justify it.

When did she stop thinking of him as the young king, and just Gannondorf? Well, at least she still called him 'My Liege'.

Nabooru made her way back to the archery range. She wondered if any actual lesson was taking place. After all, he was with her for hours.

And that's why she was so surprised to see Gannondorf walking down the path back to the fortress. The archer sauntered after him wearing her and his quiver and carrying two bows. Nabooru didn't understand. "I'm sure with a bit more patience she can teach you the bow, My Liege.", she stated.

Gannondorf stopped in his tracks, raising an eyebrow to her. He took his bow and from the archer and drew a single arrow from her back. The boy strode back to the range confidently. Nabooru and the archer chased after him.

When he got to the entrance he faced the further end of the range. With the sun bearing down on him, Gannondorf knocked an arrow. With no hesitation he let it fly. Only the sun turning the still quivering arrow into an impromptu sun dial allowed Nabooru to see that he hit dead center on the furthest target.

Nabooru turned to the archer. The archer shrugged. Gannondorf handed back the bow to the archer and told Nabooru, "I still have my studies with Koume and Katoke midday. Line up someone for the afternoon. And I expect you to have a lesson prepared for sunset."

When Gannondorf took his leave, he left a wake of command so intense the two women reflexively curtsied. Nabooru turned back to the archer.

"Oh, I'm satisfied.", the archer told her.

Nabooru smirked at her.

"At his progress.", the archer continued. "With archery. But I can teach him fletchery too."

Nabooru shook her head. "Sorry. That's...er, let me check here. Bala for fletchery."

The first week went like that-with Nabooru being approached incesstantly. By the end of the month, the Hyrule Defense Force and the Zora Honor Guard had doubled their patrols due to Gerudo attempting to prove they were the greatest at some aspect of their...trade. And Gannondorf never failed to excel at whatever subject was put before him. One girl tried to jump Nabooru's schedule by simply draping herself across her king's lap in the dining hall during supper. Before the meal was over, he could cobble a pair of the shoes popular with the women of his tribe. After that everyone sort of accepted Nabooru's defacto authority and cherished the time they had with Gannondorf no matter how many they had to share it with. Still, nobody mentioned anything about Nabooru being his viceroy.

And for once, she felt like she was winning the unspoken competition with Koume and Katoke. The twins had as many hours of Gannondorf's day as she had. But she had her lessons twice a day...most days of the week.

~18 years ago

The old woman moved Nabooru's squeezing hand from Dragmire's fingers to his bicep, while still talking non-stop. "It's been fourteen years, maybe I've lost my touch. Oh, who am I kidding? I've delivered more babies than the stork. Let me feel that belly. There's seven of 'em in there. Only one's coming today, though. You better get to telling them to hurry up or their sister'll be too old to play with, Your Highness."

Gannondorf stared at the mid-wife incredulously.

"It's just her way.", Nabooru assured through gritted teeth. "One of my earliest memories is this crone hauling as much dung in her mouth when the last of my sisters were born."

Nabooru grunted again at the pain of labor. She squeezed his arm so hard she thought she would break it.

"I have hurt you.", Gannondorf told her simply.

Nabooru looked up and for the first time saw real pain in his eyes. She managed to shake her head. "No, My Liege. Today isn't somehow about you hurting me. It's about me showing you how much I love you. How much we all love you. I just feel so ho...o...OW! huff...huff...honored that I'm the first one to get to do so. Thank you."

"Are you through running your mouth?", the midwife asked. "I thought I was here to deliver a baby, not take in a play."

Nabooru clenched her eyes. "I am going to strangle this bitch!"

Not so very long later, King Gannondorf Dragmire was holding the first of his subjects who would refer to him by the title 'sire'.


	11. Press Conference

Queen Zelda Hyrule swung her crossed heels from where she sat on the edge of the loft; in between ink wells, quills and bound but mostly blank books. She knew she should have worn pants for this, but being queen means wearing gowns and only gowns. The loft was in Impa's house, now the Kakariko village library. Below her were apparently her most dissident citizens, while standing beside her (even if it meant bending beneath the ceiling) was Impa.

Zelda spoke as loudly as she could without appearing to be yelling. "Please, no good will come from our addressing your concerns if no one can hear us."

Impa had no such qualms. "Everybody, shut the Twilight up! The next one to disrespect the crown, I'll toss out into the street and not necessarily through the door!"

The room quieted instantly. The queen raised an eyebrow to her attendant. Impa simply bowed and slid to the stairs so that she may stand straight.

"First, let us to thank the inhabitants of Kakariko Village for allowing us this time in trying days. We'd like to thank you all for the courtesy you've shown.

"Secondly, please allow us to make a few remarks before taking questions. We have come to Kakariko Village today to allay your concerns over Monarchial Proclamation Three:Mayoral Mandate. This mandate is expressly in accordance to our first mandate:that the Kingdom of Hyrule be returned to a state well past her former glory. It is an organization of labor so that the most can be made of the people's expertise, while rewarding as many hard working citizens the most that is possible. We hope that your efforts benefit you, yourselves, more than anyone else. And when individual Hylians - and Sheikah - agree that their lives are what they want them to be, the crown can agree that our first proclamation has been satisfied."

"Now, you sir. What is your concern?", the Queen finished.

The man she pointed to nearly spoke. Then he glanced over to Impa. Impa waved her hand toward Queen Zelda to give her consent.

The man then voiced, "The Chief Carpenter came to me and said he was gathering a crew to move Castle Town. He said he could because he was one of these new 'mayors'. He doesn't get to just draft us off the street, does he?"

The queen listened carefully and nodded. "Thank you for your question. We wanted to clarify a few issues and this allows us to.

"First, no-mayors don't get to draft anyone. You, as citizens, get to work with the mayors. Obviously, those that sign on with Mayor Talon now are going have the easiest time choosing the land they would homestead in Ordon. Yes, farmers, ranchers and other agricultural workers would become land owners in exchange for feeding the kingdom. But more directly to the point-May we ask you what your profession was before the Imprisoning War?"

The man nodded furiously. "Of course, Your Highness. I was a mason."

Zelda continued. "And what occupation have you held for the past few years?"

The man appeared somewhat defeated and looked at his shoes.

Zelda jumped on it. "Exactly. This is what we're going to end up avoiding. The chief knew you had intrinsically valuable skills to the project. You now get to practice those unused skills in service to your country. A freshly built castle can not only serve as fresh temporary housing for those at work in the first step of rebuilding Castle Town, but a central capitol citadel. And when businesses move into Castle Town to be close to the capitol, you will have adept skills and an intricate knowledge of the cities planning to build at those business' requests. You become a valued venture capitalist, new businesses get expert labor and the country's capitol grows all in the same step.

"The same with agriculture and science. As we've stated prior: Those Talon entreats to aid in Ordon will become land owners. They will benefit themselves in direct correlation to their efforts, while providing great service to the kingdom. Artisans, craftsmen, scholars and researchers who choose to remain in Kakariko will be just that: surrounded by a cacophony of intellectuals of all stripes. That will advance our culture and endow these individuals with greater opportunity.

"Secondly, the chief isn't one of the mayors...per se. Castle Town will be under the direct authority of the crown without an intermediary step. The distance between provinces is the greatest reasons for entitling proxy authority. The choice of mayors was made after careful considerations of their individual talents.

"Next question."

Once the people present felt that the queen was taking their concerns seriously, they stopped being halfway to a mob and started respecting themselves as they respected her. While several raised their hands to ask after their own concerns, they didn't try to overshadow the woman Zelda pointed to.

"With that type of distance, how will Hyrule remain a single kingdom?", she asked.

Zelda barely had to answer. At that very moment, the man nearly everyone had seen pass them by in a blur entered in his new uniform.

"Postman, why are you here so early? We expected you in a few hours time.", the queen stated.

The postman shrugged. "I just like beating my own times, ma'am. I mean, Your Highness. I promise, as Postman information will spread faster than the plague."

The queen appeared taken aback a bit. "Erm...Interesting choice of metaphor. But in answer to the question...Creating a position of postman creates a federal responsibility for keeping the kingdom connected. No matter what community a citizen settles in, they will have no doubt that the Kingdom of Hyrule is a single and whole functioning society.

"Anyone else? Yes, you sir."

A young man raised his voice. "This is all well and great for everyone that was up and around back in the good old days. But what about those of us who grew up during the war? There weren't any apprentiships for us. What are we going to do when none of the mayors recruit us?" Several younger people around him agreed vocally.

"We understand your concerns.", the queen told him. "We understand as well as anyone how scarce educational opportunities were during the war. In all our proclamations, we hope to use every investment to benefit both the kingdom and its peoples."

Zelda then picked up the book beside her and turned to the first blank page. She started writing as well as speaking, "Hence, Monarchial Proclamation Four: Recondition of the Hyrule Defense Force. In exchange for service in the HDF, soldiers will not only recieve a country that is defended but training in any number of tasks that a military must perform to maintain itself. These skills range from blacksmithing and other equipment maintenance to accounting the allocation of resources throughout what will be the largest operating organization in the kingdom.

"Furthermore, this also helps to jump start the economy. Taxpayers defraying the cost of the HDF will be gaining national and personal security that would cost a private citizen a fortune, businesses will be gaining skilled labor and another means of combating the surplus of talent our country has to offer at the moment. But this combined with the Castle Town project also allows funds to flow from the government through those it employs to the market place. This in turns allows the businesses that employ private citizens to grow beyond their tax burdens, thereby employing an expanding labor force.

"So, for those of you who feel the HDF is the right opportunity, please report to General Impa at her earliest convenience.", Zelda finished. Impa, who previously rested against he wall and listened mostly to make sure none disrespected Zelda, started at the entitlement. Turning to the queen, she was met with a wink of an eye.

Smiling, the queen amended, "Yes. General Impa is returning to her former duty after literally a lifetime of service."

The only hand that remained in the air was that of a man who seemed to be surrounded by a horn. "You sir. What is your question?"

"When is the windmill getting fixed from the damage that meddling kid commited?", he asked with a certain ferocity.

"We apologize, sir. We had witnessed the windmill turning with the wind as we entered the village. Also, we were told that there is no mill in the town. So with the well now filled, we had assumed nothing was the matter. Please, what is malfunctioning?", Zelda asked with empathy.

"Everything!", the man told her. "It's all that kid's fault too."

Zelda raised an eyebrow. "Would that 'kid' be Link, the Hero of Time? Saved all the lands? Is the only reason any of us are alive?"

The man nodded his head feverishly. "Yeah, that's the punk. He needs what's coming to him."

"And, pray tell, what exactly would you like to see done?", the queen inquired.

The man blew up. "You're all making fun of me! You're got it in for me! I'm going back to my windmill!"

"Sir? Sir?", the teen aged girl called after him. "Well then.", Queen Zelda dismissed.

"If there are no further questions, we'll be taking our leave with General Impa. She and the mayors will meet with everyone who wishes to partake of the opportunities they offer as expiditiously as possible. Thank you, and good day.", Zelda summed up.

The queen slid off the loft to the floor below. While everyone shared a friendly smile with her, no one attempted to stop Zelda or Impa from taking their leave.

The two did manage to catch one Hylian in particular, before she could dart away. "Malon?", Zelda called.

The peasant girl looked around half-worried, half-hopeful that someone else named Malon was around. Seeing that that was not the case, she turned to the queen and now general with a curtsy.

"Your Majesty.", Malon began, not raising her gaze from the grass. "I understand how valuable a gift an audience with Your Highness is. I was hoping to save it for a true need."

"Malon look at me?", Zelda asked softly. Impa whispered to use the royal plural and was met with a quick hush. Malon hesitantly raised her gaze to the queen.

Only then Zelda continued. "Consider this my asking you for an audience then. I understand that it is you who raised and donated the mare that aided the Hero of Time. I just wanted to thank you for helping him, and the nation."

Malon blushed. "Oh! That's quite alright, Your Majesty. Link saved me from...well, Ingo's not all that evil but...um...Link saved me is all. He saved me. Epona is the least I could have given him. And now that he's gone, Epona's back with us as if she never left. She'll be of great help in Ordon."

The queen nodded. "I'm glad you feel that way. About Ordon, I mean. You're a fine citizen and I hoped not to offend you by transferring your family's heritage to a federal level when I used eminent domain on Talon and Malon R...er, Lon Lon Ranch. Making Talon mayor was meant to be more of a reward and I doubted I communicated that. And, goddess forbid, anything were to happen to your father, I hope you would accept the title as a reward and not an added burden as well."

Malon was flabberghasted. "But...but, Your Highness. I'm no noble. I'm just a maiden."

"I'm just a maiden.", Zelda repeated. "So is the head of our military, as of a moment ago. Just because you turn a few heads when you bring supplies to Kakariko doesn't neutralize every other talent you have or automatically dismiss you from government service."

Malon continued to flush. The other teen placed a silken gloved hand on her arm. "Breathe, child. Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up so soon. I just wanted to make sure you knew I was thanking your family, not robbing them. Your father nearly tripped over himself at the celebration, promising tribute as fast as he could. You suffered under Ganon, we all did. I understand that...

"Just-thank you. And if you want to talk about anything, not just affairs of the state...well, I don't really have any girl friends my own age either."

Malon curtsied again. "Of course, Your Majesty. I'm so happy to be of service."

After leaving Malon the two walked calmly and slowly through the streets, with serene near smiles on their faces. No one approached close enough to hear what they were saying to one another.

Zelda asked Impa. "Did I just enslave a girl because I was lonely? I did just wanted to thank her. And being friends with her would help us both gain some normalcy in our lives after seven years of war."

"I'm really scared.", Zelda told Impa. "You're right. I shouldn't be able to balance the gross domestic product of Hyrule against the Domain and Death Mountain in my head, let alone forecast all three over the next score years. There's no way I should be able to deduce that one of the most complex devices in the kingdom is actually useless. What if I become like Gannondorf? What if I'm corrupted? Who'll stop me? Link? Ganon!?"

"We, Your Majesty.", Impa reminded. "Your corruption is impossible. Since you were a babe, all you could ever think about is the welfare of everyone else. I remember a certain little girl that set the boy of her dreams on a quest to save the land rather than keep him all for herself.

"If you turn into an all consuming monster, I'll just take you over my knee as if you were four again. With Your Majesty's permissions, as Mandate Four gives me full authority to take emergency actions for national security interests."

The two turned to gaze upon a woman who accidentally wandered to close. The woman froze then fell into a curtsy. They gave her a smile and continued on their way, as if simply taking a break from their federal responsibilities and were talking about the whether.

Impa continued. "If Your Highness really wants something to worry about, there's always Nabooru. That thieving concubine's so in love with the Dark King that she'll not just forgive him for all his crimes. She'll damn us all if she gets half the chance, just because she thinks he'll enjoy it."

Zelda gave the slightest shake of her head. "She may somehow 'love' him. But Nabooru hasn't been in love with him for quite some time, and not just because of her enslavement. You see...


	12. A Gerudo PerspectiveReunification War

~17 years ago

"You thrice goddess damned idiot!", Nabooru yelled at Gannondorf. Officially, King Gannondorf Dragmire did not have a viceroy. Then again, no Gerudo in their right mind had the stomach to take that type of tone with him. He witnessed the birth of none of his other daughters (claiming he learned midwifing in a single stroke).

Nabooru continued yelling as she chased the teenaged king. Despite he was rapidly walking away from her. Despite _everyone_ watching. Despite the last time someone said something untoward to the king.

"I didn't say anything when you grew that stupid, no mustache, ear-to-ear beard. I didn't say anything when you started dressing in all black despite the entire territory being desert. Don't you think that if I'm saying something now, it might just be important? That I might just be right?"

Gannondorf spun on his heels so fast that Nabooru bounced against him. He "If you were that concerned, maybe you would have followed my orders! I told King Hyrule that he could count on Gerudo military support. I commanded you to organize it. And do I get combat units or back talk, I ask you?"

Nabooru entreated, "Because you insist on leading them into battle yourself! You're too important to risk like that. Don't you know what you mean to us?"

Then much more softly, so only the man she leaned against could hear. "Don't you know what you mean to me?"

Gannondorf, at fifteen winters now taller than Nabooru, rested his forehead on the crown of her head. "Do you think I don't know that?"

But then with a flourish, he turned back to his path toward his stallion. "That's exactly why I need to do this. King Hyrule coming to us shows that he wants the Goron out of Kakariko Village and he doesn't care how it's done. All he wants is humans on every border, instead of civilian refugees fleeing to the Lost Woods and being lost to him forever. Kakariko sits in the mountains, yes, but at the base of them. Imagine having a place with grass, rain...that cool breeze that sometimes come from across the canyon blowing around you."

"I have to do this. And besides, isn't this the type of moment you've trained me for? That all of you have trained me for?"

Nabooru scolded, "You're going to get yourself killed! You can't do this!"

The deadliness creaped back into Dragmire's voice. He stopped beside his horse. Didn't turn around, just tilted his head. "I can't?"

Nabooru stopped silent. Her jaw worked, but no words came forth.

King Dragmire threw his teen aged body on his mount. "I'm going to explain to Hyrule that all the military support they need is someone as powerful as me. Then I'm going to return here. Then we're going to have a talk about who commands who, concubine."

With that the only male Gerudo for the next eighty-five years sped off to do his part in this blooming war.

"Now, you've done it.", one of the women told Nabooru.

"Shut up.", was her reply.

Nabooru turned to the fastest runner present. "Run to the Temple of Spirit. Tell Koume and Katoke that their unit is on, Plan B is in effect. We'll move ahead of them, so they should move directly on Castle Town. If they're too late to meet us there, advance to Kakariko. Move!"

The same woman continued to lay into Nabooru. "And now that you've gone and ruined everything, you're hoping grandma witches can conjure up a saving grace. You dumb ergh!"

Nabooru clawed her fingers into the woman's hair and yanked her off her feet to kneel before her. "If you can't keep quiet, I'm going to snatch the color out of your hair and you'll be blonder than the virgin desert. If you understand, you'd better nod because I don't even want to her your 'yes madam'."

Nabooru pushed the woman to the ground and waved her arms in a pattern. Guards that moments ago seemed 'extra' now revealed that they were waiting for this sign. They moved back to entrances of the fortress and yelled inside. A plethora of pre-staged, armed women came streaming out. Horse hooves sounded in the distance.

Within moments, mounted Gerudo were in formation before Nabooru. A woman led up Nabooru's own horse, to which she took the reigns in haste. "Plan B, women! The stubborn fool went anyway and he's got a black stallion that rides like a Zora in open water. The witches will meet up with us on the ride. Let's move!"

And with that, half the Gerudo population sped out from their territory.

A surprisingly short time later, one of the Hyrule Defense Force spotted movement on the horizon and went to inform the king. King Hyrule sat on his mount, in lead of the HDF infantry. By his side, General Impa sat on her mount flanked by increasingly rare Sheikah.

"Thank you again, Impa.", King Hyrule told his companion. "With Sheikah making a show of guarding the crown, the HDF is free to focus on the task at hand."

"It is my privledge to serve, Your Majesty.", Impa replied. "Taking back the Sheikah village of Kakariko is another step in our long debt to that crown."

The guard came up. "Your Majesty! There's movement on the Gerudo front. A single rider."

"Thank you. Dismissed.", the king stated.

Impa frowned while it was still polite to do so. "I dislike this entreating theives to watch your flank. I appreciate Your Majesty's wisdom in re-unifying all the humans that have drifted so far apart since the Hero of Men. But I am simply calling a spade a spade. After all, why would a single rider be coming at the annointed hour? At best to tell us that the Gerudo can't be bothered to appear punctually At worst, to pull support at the worst possible moment-revealing the promise of support was only to move guards away from items the kleptomaniacs covet."

The single rider rode up to the two. The rider was on a lean, mean black stallion. His hair was fire red, his armor black as night, his gauntlets gleaming gold like a crown. He bore a sword entirely too large for his teen age frame.

King Hyrule shook himself. "I apologize. I thought only the Gerudo's king was male. What message have you brought from him."

"I am him.", Gannondorf spat. "I am King Gannondorf Dragmire of the Gerudo Territory. And we need not dally on pleasantries. I understand that we have a village to retake."

Impa made a large show of looking past him. Then leering to the right. Then she stared into the left. Finally, the Sheikah looked to the sky and held her gaze.

Hyrule interrupted, "er...Impa."

Impa apologized. "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I was simply waiting for the skies to part and Gerudo units to rain down from the heavens. After all, King Dragmire seems to be in a great hurry to join battle with the Goron. Your Highness knows: the eat rocks for dinner, roll with a hundred thunders, wade through lava Gorons. Since he's in such a great hurry, and he so very obviously has no military accompniment, I was simply expecting the miracle of his forces to be conjured from thin air. Or the heavens. Whichever."

Hyrule took a breath and looked at the back of his horse' head, as Dragmire had stretched his royal politeness to the limit. Impa, and the other few Sheikah, made very poor efforts to hide their impending guffaws.

Gannondorf found nothing mirthful. "You wish to laugh? You hold no confidence? Fine! I need no army. I will free the village on my own valor. And you shall sing praises of this 'kleptomaniac'."

With that, the Gerudo youth raced off toward Kakariko.

King Hyrule grimaced. "Let's go tame the youth. Otherwise, the other Gerudo will blame us for...'allowing' their only male to be killed."

Impa's impending laughter turned inward then came out a satisfied smile. "If the Goron were to kill him, that would be the only male they have.

"We have two courses of action, Your Majesty.

"The first is that we hurry the HDF after him. We try to move soldiers that have all lost something to the Gerudo as fast as they can to save the Gerudo king. We arrive too late because he rides and they march. The Goron will still be on alert because we don't arrive too far after him for 'all clears' to make it through their chain of command. The end result is that we don't accomplish anything but expose tired troops to an entrenched enemy force."

"Or, the second. We let the fool be killed by the Goron. We allow the Goron to either believe the fool is the human counter-offensive, or (and hopefully they aren't stupid enough to believe that) that it was a false alarm. Teenage bravado. We get to face a relaxed enemy that has come down from alert. We get the Gerudo's gratitude at saving the king they would have to ransom back. Better yet, we get the end of the Gerudo Territory while only soiling Goron hands."

King Hyrule narrowed his eyes at Impa. Impa then warned, "You know, Her Majesty doesn't appreciate you gazing at me like that."

"Give orders to the men.", Hyrule commanded. "We want to arrive at Kakariko in a state of readiness. So we march immediately. But without any undue haste.

In Kakariko Village, a few Goron guards minded the gates. Otherwise, the streets had the occassional Goron milling about, marvelling that anyone would actually want to live here. The ground was way to soft and had this wierd, even softer, cover of green blades. As far as anyone could tell, there wasn't a rock in the village worth licking. Even now, the elders streamed out of one of the...can you believe it, wooden...houses arguing about these very merits.

"Darunia, we've been over this.", one of the elders. "Kakariko is on Death Mountain. Regardless of how many kings they bury or how much of this field turf they plant, Kakariko is physically ours. I don't want this place any more than you do. But if we allow the Kingdom to take this from us, they'll keep taking from us. It's what Hylians due-take. Like they took the reputation from the Gerudo or service from the Sheikah. We've already discussed and all of us have decided."

"All of us besides me.", Darunia countered. "The Hylian response/"

"Will be trivial.", another elder finished. "Our conditions for not having a unanimous decision still exist, Darunia. If a human attack does unseat us from our entrenched position within our own territory, then you'll deserve it. If you're confident you're right, you should content yourself with hopes of becoming the first sole elder in some time. So stop undercutting us."

And then a single black stallion carrying a fiery rider flew over the gate to Kakariko Village. The guards from the gate stumbled in and were met with the horse' hooves. Once they were stalled, the red haired boy turned the horse and threatened the Goron approaching from the street with the same hind leg kicks. The boy slid off the horse and swatted it. The horse bolted back out of the village, leaving King Gannondorf Dragmire.

The first Goron to reach Dragmire attempted to grab the boy. Spinning well beyond the speed of the lumbering giant, Gannondorf grabbed the rock-eater's right arm with his left sliding his grip down to the wrist and hit the elbow with the outside edge of his right hand. The Gerudo swung the hapless Goron in a wide arc, stumbling the others on that side of him. The boy slid his grip to the otherside of the Goron's wrist, and latched onto the elbow with his right. The Goron was pulled from a back fall into stumbling around Gannondorf the otherway, blocking off the other side. Left alone with his intended victim Gannondorf ducked under the arm of the Goron, braced the elbow with his right forearm, pulled the wrist to his chest and continued to pull with his whole weight. The thousand pound creature sailed over the boy's head but not before something of the Goron's arm gaveway.

Darunia turned to the other elders with a questioning eyebrow. A single elder gave the reply, "I'm getting the Megaton Hammer."

The Goron that had surrounded Gannondorf hesitated to approach, as they had been assured by their elders that humans simply weren't born with the strength to hurt them. The boy threw one hand forward and Koume's fire training paid off in a concentrated beam, heating the Goron. The giant seemed confused, as lava's temperature wasn't exactly an attack on a Goron. Then Dragmire threw the other hand forward and Katoke's ice training froze the Goron in place, confused expression and all. The boy was no longer surrounded as he rushed the spellbound Goron and more than ice shattered from its body.

"Back off him, I'll handle the human.", the elder with the Megaton Hammer announced. With and off hand gesture, a ball of glowing energy lept from Gannondorf's hand toward the Goron. The elder swung against the ball with the magic weapon and, miracles of miracles, the ball bounced off. The boy then unbelievably bounced the magic back with a flick of his cape, collapsing the elder when it hit and bringing forth the first scream of pain from a Goron most had ever heard.

Gannondorf never stopped moving. From his spin he continued to the wall of one of the buildings lining the street, jumped against it and behind one of the Goron from his first encounter. The boy reached over the Goron to grab his face and pulled the Goron to his back.

Dragmire ducked the swung punch to the back of his head. As the Goron fell past Gannodorf with the missed swing, the Gerudo latched on to the Goron's leg with both hands and let his grip slide down to the ankle. With the supernatural might of his newly forged golden gauntlets, the boy swung the ton of stone the Goron was in a wide circle around himself. The one Goron that couldn't run away, jump out of the path or simply fall fast enough was smacked with one of his own and went flying over a house. Gannondorf let go of his grip and sent the Goron careening into an elder. The two sped through a house.

Back in Hyrule Field, Impa and King Hyrule continued their army's liesurely pace. It allowed them to grind to a stop when they heard the roar.

They didn't need to turn to find out the source of the noise. Nabooru and a blur of other Gerudo galloped past, racing toward Kakariko Village. And that wasn't all:King Hyrule nearly fell from his steed when a few, led by two ancient crones, buzzed by him on broomstick.

The king and Impa looked at each other in concern. "Maybe we want to pick up the pace."

In the village, Gannondorf had fun. Then he found his shadow was growing rapidly. Gannondorf hurled himself to the cover of the steps leading to another part of the village. A boulder, the size of any building of Kakariko fell to dig a crater from the ground he had so recently occupied. Even as injured Goron limped and pedalled away from Gannondorf, this boulder unfurled towards him. A Goron capable of measuring his height in horses the way horses were measured in hands stood before him.

But not for long. The Goron bent down to pick the boy up. Gannondorf drew his sword and the giant's fingers landed on either side of the blade. With the blade caught in the gian's hand, Gannondorf grabbed the hilt and pulled as if activating a lever for a secret door. The back of the Goron's hand pressed against the ground, followed by its arm. The Goron watched in a mixture of confusion and horror as Dragmire leapt to his face and struck him with the full might of the golden gauntlets the boy wore. "I am King Gannondorf Dragmire of the Gerudo Territories!", he announced. "And I have felled Biggoron!"

"Pardon?", Darunia politely (considering the circumstances) intterupted. "That's Medigoron."

Gannondorf looked at him incredulously. "Impossible! He's humongous."

The remaining elder gestured behind himself with a thumb.

And then, what the teen had thought was part of the mountainside moved. A limb, whose size decried description, braced itself against the weakening ground. The limb turned out to be an arm, so that Biggoron could stand himself up to his true height. All said and done, the champion blocked out the sun and cast all of Kakariko in shade. Biggoron let out a low, questioning tone as he squinted to find the source of his name being called.

Gannondorf's face screwed up as if he just found out he was tricked.

Darunia shrugged in apology.

"Fine!", the Gerudo spit. Yelling, Gannondorf's magic lifted his body into the air. When he was at a height that Biggoron could see him clearly, the boy raised both arms above his head. A black yet bright glow gathered. As Biggoron puzzled over this sight, the magic grew even more concentrated. And Gannondorf unleashed a vertiable volley, a swarm of destruction that landed across Biggoron's eyes. The king's confident laughter could heard echoing.

The giant to end all giants swatted in front of his face after the fact. As if anticipating another barrage, Biggoron blindly stepped to the side. But he stumbled and fell.

Gannondorf alighted in front of the Darunia. The Gerudo grabbed the spikes that served as Darunia's beard and drew him close to ensure being heard correctly. "I am King. Gannondorf. Dragmire. Of the Gerudo Territories.", he stated. "And I have fell Biggoron."

"No arguements.", Darunia stated calmly.

"You are the last elder conscious.", Dragmire stated.

"No arguements.", Darunia repeated.

"I have defeated your armies in combat. You will surrender Kakariko Village to the allied human task force, here represented by me.", Dragmire commanded.

Darunia agreed readily enough. "Okay."

And then the Gerudo units made their appearance. Beams of fire and ice, bombs and arrows fell from the air. Mounted women thrust spears into Goron faces and knocked arrows into bows. A bevy of beauties, including Nabooru, nearly rolled off their horses to surround Gannondorf in a protective circle.

"Cease fire!", the boy yelled. "Cease fire!"

Goron leaning away in fear were met with confused, but still threatening, women. Gannondorf sneered at them. "I already won the battle. Without any of you here."

Nabooru turned to Darunia. "Yep. Sure did.", he told her.

Nabooru turned to Gannondorf. "Line them up.", he commanded. "Gather them in a circle. I don't really care. Just make sure the Goron are in one spot and all accounted for."

Nabooru nodded. Women took their spear points away from the faces of Goron all around the village and brooms floated to the ground. Gerudo gestured to the center of the village, and even helped some of the Goron that couldn't make it on their own.

Gannondorf walked back to the entrance of the village with Nabooru in tow. With nothing else to do, Darunia followed. The two eldest witches joined the group.

When they got to the entrance, they were met with a battlecry. A group of HDF stormed through the open gate and promptly stopped, dazed and confused by the sight that met them. The second wave ran directly into them. King Gannondorf simply told them, all of them men his senior, "Get your king. Tell him that _I _have declared the mission accomplished."

Most of the HDF stood rooted to the spot. One of them nodded and made his way back through the lines. Nabooru blinked as if having a brilliant thought or maybe had remembered something and ran to gather more girls.

Impa and King Hyrule entered in full mount. Only when they saw the Goron centrally gathered, surrounded by Gerudo and were met with a still King Dragmire and Elder Darunia did the two actually believe it. The two dismounted and approached.

"You should bow when the king approaches.", Impa told Gannondorf.

Gannondorf looked at Impa like the bitch done, must have, lost her damn mind. "The Re-unification War is over.", the boy told King Hyrule. "Kakariko Village is in human hands again."

King Hyrule smiled and offered a congradulatory handshake. "I'm sure the Sheikah who will be living here again will be glad of your service. I don't know what your ploy of 'not needing an army' was, but that was some force that raced past us on the way he/"

"Did you say 'Sheikah' living here?", Gannondorf cut him off, pausing in mid reach of shaking his counterpart's hand.

King Hyrule appeared as if he couldn't put it any planer. "Well, yes. It is a Sheikah Village after all."

"Don't worry, Your Highness.", Impa told King Hyrule. "With the Sheikah population being what it is, I should really open the village to Hylian immigrants. Just like before Goron occupation."

Gannondorf seemed to be reasoning with himself. "I defeat the entire Goron army with my abilities alone.", he began. "And this village won't have a single Gerudo resident?"

Nabooru could see something like this was going to happen. King Dragmire was fit to pop. Followed by the sexiest Gerudo she found amongst their military units, she threw herself at Gannondorf. "Mmm, that's my hero.", she said followed by a kiss. She glanced over her shoulder. "Who's the geezer?"

The fifteen year old shook his head as if to clear it. "Oh. uh, Nabooru meet King Hyrule of the Kingdom of Hyrule. Hyrule, my viceroy." Nabooru moved to shake Hyrule's hand.

He barely got out the words before a more than bountifully endowed Gerudo clutched him in a hug. "How can I ever thank you for your valor, My Liege." Then she turned to Impa. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you need something? I'm not sure what the protocol is on giving out autographs."

Another Gerudo followed. And one after that. They kept smothering the teen with physical affection until his violent urges simmered and lust overtook. But because there was only one Gannondorf and so many women, they could run interference between

Nabooru approached him again. She touched his arm and the bracelet she wore glinted its Hylian design in the evening sun. "My Liege, we have your stallion again. We should return to the fortress before dark."

Gannondorf nodded and mounted his horse. The rest of the Gerudo mounted or took to the air and left into the night.

Impa looked at King Hyrule's arm. "Your Majesty? Weren't you wearing a bracelet earlier?"

On the slow trot back through Hyrule field, Gannondorf complained to Nabooru. "We don't get even the smallest house in that village! How dare they! I ought to go back there and kill them all."

The boy nearly managed to turn his horse around to do just that, but Nabooru was too close on one side and another woman rode too close on the other for him to turn.

"My Liege.", Nabooru began. She caressed his face with her newly adorned arm. "It's not like we got nothing at all."

The woman on the other side of him agreed. "With all the coocoos I took, we'll be having pot pies for months."

Gerudo of all stripes rode up to him and then dropped back to let others ride to him. Each advertised their loot from Kakariko, having managed to pillage it to the bone faster than any other force could. Even the witches floating over head used the slow pace of travelling back to peruse books taken from the now empty Kakariko Village library.

"There is another thing to consider, My Liege.", Nabooru informed him. "None can argue your prowess. But how many of your harem have taught you those skills. They would be grateful if you could reward them with some additional intimacy. Maybe they'd be motivated to learn new skills so you could have a larger selection of instruction?"

Gannondorf's stoic glower shook itself off. "Fine! I'll let those traitors live. Today. But this isn't over, Nabooru.

"I won't forget what they kept from my people. I won't forget the feel of grass under our feet just because it was in battle, or because all we'll have is sand once again."


End file.
